Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Businessman defiant in face of swoop by trading standards

Stephen Foster
5/12/2006

THE BUSINESSMAN whose firm was the subject of Britain's largest trading standards raid says he plans to open up a showroom in Yorkshire Street in the new year.

Vance Miller has vowed to carry on trading as usual and hopes to open a Kitchens showroom in the former Martin Dawes' shop.

A defiant Mr Miller told the Observer: "It is an attempt by the Department of Trade and Industry to close me down because I am selling a product which British industry cannot compete with.

"Every single government body has tried to close me down. The Department of Transport took away my licence for operating wagons - that didn't close me down.

"They banned me from being a director of a company and that didn't close me down. They invented a stop-now rule to try and stop me selling my products.

"I bring in 10 to 15 containers each day from China. My company does not touch British manufacturers. I am destroying the British kitchen industry.

"I don't conform to the British way of doing things. I am just a Rochdale lad who gets on with the job and have been very successful with it."

Four people were arrested during a series of raids carried out by police and trading standards officers at three homes around the region and a warehouse at Maple Mill in Oldham.

All four people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud in connection with the activities of Kitchens, said to be the most complained-about company in the country. Trading standards said they received 60-100 complaints a week about the activities of the firm.

A 41-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman from Ramsbottom and a 42-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman from Milnrow were arrested. They were all released pending further inquiries.