Film producer’s 50 firms struck off companies register, leaving workers unable to chase fees

Liz Hurley filmed scened for one of Alan Latham’s films, City Girls, in 2021. There is no evidence that she was unpaid for her work. Photograph: Rich Gold/Alamy View image in fullscreen Liz Hurley filmed scened for one of Alan Latham’s films, City Girls, in 2021. There is no evidence that she was unpaid for her work. Photograph: Rich Gold/Alamy Film producer’s 50 firms struck off companies register, leaving workers unable to chase fees Scores of Alan Latham’s firms were removed by Companies House, including one set up for movie starring Liz Hurley A prolific film producer, whose projects have starred the likes of Frasier’s Kelsey Grammer and Four Weddings and a Funeral’s Anna Chancellor , has had scores of his production businesses forcibly removed from the UK’s companies register, leaving workers unable to chase unpaid fees. Alan Latham, whose low-budget films have previously raised questions over his use of tax credits , has seen 50 of his film businesses compulsorily struck off by Companies House, according to data compiled by the film workers’ union, Bectu. A compulsory strike off occurs when Companies House dissolves a company for failing certain legal obligations, such as ignoring warnings to file annual accounts or statements providing information on shareholders. Failure to make these filings on time is a criminal offence and offending companies are frequently struck off. However, once a company is removed from the register there is no longer an entity for creditors to make claims against. Film workers have told the Guardian that they have been unable to collect debts owed to them by Latham’s former businesses, including ones that have been struck off. One of Latham’s companies, City Girls Productions, was set up to produce the film City Girls, starring Elizabeth Hurley , which began filming in Yorkshire during 2021 but was abandoned after a member of the cast contracted Covid-19. One crew member said she was among a number of film workers beginning their careers who were not fully paid. “We were all young, desperate for work and to prove our worth. We were overly excited – that comes with not understanding – and we were exploited,” she said. “It felt like they were using young whippersnappers as their cashflow, without us consenting or having any way of knowing that this was the MO [modus operandi].” A second supplier, who had worked on another unfinished Latham film called Rufus Kane, said his business was owed thousands of pounds by the production company RK Film Productions. “We got every excuse under the sun [not to be paid],” he said. “It was really bad and we just about managed to keep our heads above water. We had no choice but to write the debt off. Even just talking about it brings up the old scars.” View image in fullscreen Alan Latham remains a director of about 50 active companies, according to Companies House data. Photograph: Tom Nicholson/Shutterstock City Girls Productions and RK Film Productions were compulsorily struck