Poppies in Camden Town

A MAN owed more than £30,000 in compensation fears he may never see a penny after the company running the chip shop ruled to have unfairly sacked him went into administration.

Documents show the liquidation process has begun at Poppies in Camden Town and its other branches – although all of the eateries remain open.

The company would not comment when asked by the New Journal this week for more details. But it has left former manager Recep Turhan concerned that he has still not been received money owed to him after he won a works tribunal case earlier this year.

Recep Turhan

A judgment had found that he had been wrongly and unfairly dismissed in January and that there had been a failure to pay him the required holiday pay.

He had been dismissed after he was photographed exposing himself to a resident who had complained about his parking in Camden Town.

Mr Turhan was sacked without notice years after the incident, and tribunal judge Bernard Hodgson found there was not an adequate investigation, nor was he given the right to an appeal.

In a recent costs ruling, which was published in mid-August, he was awarded more than £33,000 including damages for wrongful dismissal of £19,897.61.

Mr Turhan, 53, said “The court decision says that they must pay me that money. I’m worried I won’t get any money at all now because of this but I am waiting to find out. It is not fair.”

Mr Turhan said he needs the money to invest in his own chip shop, as prices have already gone up. “I don’t understand how they have gone into administration.” Documents show Poppies’ debts include money owed to official bodies, including Camden Council.

A spokesperson for Poppies declined to comment.