Mancon’s Garner alleges theft of assets

THE spat between the publisher of the How-Do media website and its former owner Manchester Confidential has turned ugly, with Confidential boss Mark Garner claiming that the How-Do website and awards have been taken from him without his consent.

Mark Garner, whose own operating company Cpub Ltd was wound up earlier this month following a petition issued by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, has said he plans to deliver a dossier of files to both the Police and the Wilmslow-based Information Commissioner next week.

Mr Garner alleges that How-DO publisher Nick Jaspan initially approached him in October last year as How-Do Ltd was in financial trouble.

He added that a deal was concluded in November that saw him take a 90% stake in How-Do Ltd, which included both the How-Do and Place North West websites.

However, by the end of January Mr Jaspan resigned from the firm, citing concerns over business practices. Since then, Mr Jaspan has continued to operate both the How-Do website and its annual awards – due to take place tonight – through a separate venture, Northern Publishing.

Mr Garner is continuing to publish the Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and London Confidential sites, as well as the Place North West website.

Cpub Ltd was the third operating company connected with the Manchester Confidential business to go through insolvency proceedings within the past three years – Planet Confidential was placed into a creditors’ voluntary liquidation owing £330,000 in PAYE and VAT in February 2011 and 2M:Media was wound up at Manchester County Court in June 2009.