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Colin Shenton To The Manor Born
Jill Burdett on the maverick Manc property man re-surfacing in style
THE maverick Manchester developer Colin Shenton, who was declared personally bankrupt after Shenton Estates went under in 2000, has a new venture.
"When they have all left we can sit, entertain and relax in these elegant and peaceful surroundings and feel really content that I booked that viewing."
He and his partner Gareth Harold are now living in colonnaded splendour in Gunby Hall, one of the finest country houses in Lincolnshire.
They have told friends it was a long held ambition to have a home in the English countryside and that they are refurbishing the house and the gardens which run to nine acres.
But it turns out that the house is owned by the National Trust and the couple, selected as leaseholders after a six month selection process, have been tasked with coming up with viable business options to increase visitor numbers and revenue.
In a three page feature in the glossy Lincolnshire Life magazine Mr Harold says: “We took the approach that this was to be very much a joint venture with the trust, and we undertook detailed research of the locality, the house and its potential so that we could identify how we can make the house pay its own way.”
You can read the full article and see the photos here.
This will be interesting reading for any creditors still owed money from when Shenton Estates collapsed owing £600,000. Mr Shenton has never disputed that he diverted company funds for his personal use at a time when Shenton Estates was failing to pay creditors.
While the personal bankruptcy has been discharged Mr Shenton is still disqualified from being a company director.
He has been doing property deals around Manchester for two decades and is still trying to get various projects in the city off the ground, most notably a super club in the old Mash & Air building on Chorlton Street. He is currently facing opposition from neighbours.
He apparently makes regular trips from his country pile back into the city.
Never shy of publicity Gunby Hall and its current tenants will be featured on Country House Rescue when the next series airs in the spring.
Colin ShentonAs Mr Shenton explained to Lincolnshire Life: “Hopefully, it will be another way of making people aware of the house and who knows, they may come up with a dynamic idea that we haven’t thought of which we will readily embrace if it is right for helping to secure the long-term future of Gunby.
“Meanwhile, we are really enjoying this as our country home and sharing it with our visitors during the day. When they have all left we can sit, entertain and relax in these elegant and peaceful surroundings and feel really content that I booked that viewing.”
If you cannot wait till spring to see them you could always call in. The house is open to visitors on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. Click here for details.
You can follow @jillburdett here.
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Brill. Can we have an uncritical advertorial on what listed property k-k-krazy Hotel proprietor and wildcard man of the people Alex Langsam plans to run into the ground next week please?
I mean, seriously. What's the point of this article?
While we work with the National Trust on the preservation, promotion and public access to this important house what, exactly, is the motive behind the content and tone of this piece? Colin Shenton
If Mr Shenton wanted to be a Manchester celebrity then he cannot blame a Manchester news website for following his fortunes in the general public's interests, taking its lead from his own publicity. Methinks he doth protest too much.
As a public body The National Trust has a duty of care to the country to fully check out just who they entrust stately homes to. As a member, I think their selection process needs an entire overhaul....starting with the close examination of Colin Shenton's Google pages.
Mr Shenton hasn`t issued a press release for over a decade in Manchester despite doing substantial business. He does occaisional interviews following requests, including with you in 2005.
He has no desire to be a "celebrity" in any fashion. He is not a public figure, holds no elected office and no directorships. This story is old, irrelevant and, it seems, bitchy.
The piece from Lincolnshire Life is entirely positive. The National Trust does a thorough job of everything, including reading google searches and reaches much more informed and intelligent conclusions.
The tone of this piece, tweeted as "you couldnt make it up", is prejudicial, insulting and unnecessary. There are dozens of property companies laying off people and writing off millions. Not in Mr Shenton`s case.
You should look at the 25 years of successes not one year of failure. The reason he was bankrupt was because he gave personal guarantees on conmpmany liablities, not the actions of a man avoiding his responsibilities. The only unpaid creditors from 12 years ago were HMRC and the Shenton family.
Time you moved on.
Yes but what about the unpaid creditors since then? Amnesia setting in again? Shenton may be in Lincolnshire but people in Manchester have long memories. And remain utterly sceptical. We hope the city council will err on the side of extreme caution before entertaining another Shenton extravaganza at someone else's expense.
As for the National Trust I doubt they checked Google but I am sure they will now. Or come to regret it.
I agree NationalTrustMember- google the name it made very interesting reading that is for sure, the internet makes sure none of this is 'old news'
Firstly, there are no unpaid creditors. Only HMRC and the Shenton family lost money. BDO paid themselves over £100,000 in fees, speak to them about money.Secondly, Shenton is in Manchester and London as well as Lincolnshire, all trading well. Thirdly, this is very old news, is far from relvant or topical. Fourthly, the point of insolvency litigation is to allow someone to start again, something youre not doing. I dont know about amnesia again because i dont know when else you are refering to. What is your personal angle on this? Because no one else cares.
Friend of Mr Shenton perhaps?
or PA?
Why hide behind anonymous? If one has something to contribute then have the courtesy to do it without a mask. Don't believe all you read as it is very easy for anyone to write what they like about people, via the internet. As I guess that you are unaware the Internet content is not policed or legislated for! Ignorance is not bliss!
So she is not his PA- google disagrees- just saying anyway! Although agree that google is not the source of all truth.
Jill Burdett aka Nationaltrustmember (see above) appears to have a personal bee in her bonnet! This article and your comments are offensive and prejudicial.
For the record. I attempted to contact Ms Burdett today to be told she was unavailable. I am still waiting for her to return my call. Someone in her position should know better than to abuse her position by publishing damaging and irrelevant material.
What exactly is your problem that appears to be so worthy of your time and effort to create an article by copy and paste?
I think it is a huge assumption to assume the author of the article is also the writer of the comment! If the writer chose to do the article she presumably knew it would be of interest to readers in Manchester! Especially as Mr Shenton has had ventures which have had positive and negative publicity. If I was a creditor no matter how the previous ventures ended I would read with interest... and amusement to be honest! I am also sure that if every journalist took calls from those they wrote about we would not have much to read?! Parts were possibly unnecessary but so is life.
As are your comments. Still anonymous!
The continued assumption all comments are from one person is amusing. Even though whoever wrote the above one was not even negative??
no matter what has happened in the past, has happened. just move on with your lives. its not like anybody was killed. sometimes finances get tight and you have to wing it. but to drag up old stories. how childish can telling tales be, shows you have nothing else better and constructive to do. try finding a more constructive and worthy story to tell that is actually of interest.
Mr Harold as Anonymous...hilarious!
Might be some old news but google makes interesting reading- And I mean the news stories such as from MEN and so on!
it sounds to me that some people are just jelous to see someone to suceed. as they say if you dont suceed at first, try again......
Thanks guys. Your supportive words are appreciated
I actually know Colin Shenton well on a personal level and he is a great bloke and this does seem like dredging up the past for a pointless article. I would love a country house and to be as successful as him!
Clearly this article has brought some bad feeling to the table. I agree with most of the negative comments about Colin Shenton. As has been mentioned you can't hide from Google and there is nothing Genuine about Shenton Homes or the Shenton Group. Mr Harold is always the voice for Mr Shenton, this is plain to see. The article was just. An interesting read.
Anonymous Mark II here!
History speaks for itself no matter how hard you try to hide it. It would seem from the comments above (and others if you Google) that Mr Shenton's partner, Mr Harold is always the one with the voice but it seems the only people who ever do voice in his favour are people close to Mr Shenton! Google the PA thing. As has been mentioned with the internet you can't hide anything!This is a no story made into a MASSIVE story by Mr Shenton. Like most have come to expect from Colin, all about face!
Ha Brilliant comment! If Mr Harold had not commented perhaps people would have felt the need to mock- poor them with this mean journalist picking on them when all they want to do is help the National Trust and make its business at Gunby Boom...
I agree, a complete non-story. Only caught my attention as I grew up within a spit of Gunby Hall - I'm pleased that someone has been entrusted with its upkeep. As for the tone and reasoning behind ManCon printing this story - stones and glass houses spring to mind.
It would seem there is either message delay or if now you right something that isn't favourable to Mr Shenton it isn't added. Which is a shame!
Colin was successful in what way, exactly?
And Companies House don't ban people from owning, running, directing or controlling companies for nothing. Colin agreed to the bad - so the official statement at the time said - which implies he was aware that a ban was the least worst option available to him. What other options the authorities presented him with we do not know.
He was banned from being a Director because he was declared bankrupt - it would happen to anyone in that position, regardless of their conduct, personal or professional - it was not an 'option'.
Did no one else notice the fact he supposedly' tried' to sell a rented car to cover debts...
The Companies House listings make interesting reading too when searching by name!!!
Maverick. Of all the words, in all the world...
Read the details on Companies House about the various ventures!! very interesting!
Think the number of responses to this article rather proves that ManCon and the journalist got it right about public interest. The only named people are close to Mr Shenton. The PA and no doubt the butler and housekeeper. Mr Shenton's desire for publicity rather overrides his commonsense. People's memories are long. His self-righteous indignation expressed through his various mouthpieces only really matches that of the Great Manc public. I hope Ms Burdett will be reviewing the forthcoming TV series in the greater public interest.She is a leading residential writer so that could hardly be called having a bee in her bonnet. More like professional interest I would say.