Victoria Works NW Ltd (previous name DeTrafford Victoria Gardens Ltd) 

Insolvent and Still Trading

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Third Party Action Update for purchasers who used  Stocker & Co LLP, Versus Law and CS Conveyancing

We recently reported through our Insolvency Alerts regarding Victoria Works NW Ltd, previously known as DeTrafford Victoria Gardens Ltd.  You can read this here. Victoria Works is a building development company with a registered office in Castlefield, Manchester. It owed our client £40,750 plus interest (the Debt) and costs. On 31^st July 2023, our client assigned the debt to Insolvency & Law Ltd. We are committed to recovering these funds.  

Victoria Works NW Ltd owns the freehold and leasehold title to the site known as Victoria Mill in Droylsden. This site could be sold to satisfy its debts.  The Director is unreasonably disputing the debt. Perhaps this is not surprising, as the company has £76,746 in CCJs – all unsatisfied since 2021.  

Furthermore, the latest accounts show the company to have a net worth of -£557,365.  The company is clearly in considerable financial difficulty and struggling to pay its debts when they fall due.  Together with the unsatisfied CCJs, this is evidence of Wrongful Trading. This is pursuant to Section 214 Insolvency Act 1986. In other words, trading while insolvent.

DeTrafford Companies

The DeTrafford brand of companies is well known in Manchester.  Over the past couple of years, DeTrafford has experienced a string of issues. These have left the future of the developments in administration and remaining trading companies hanging in the balance.  

The troubles began with the news that the proposed 421-home development at Salford Quays, known as Wavelength, had fallen into Administration. This left purchasers with nearly £11 million in unpaid dues. Many of them questioned the financial mismanagement that plagued the project.

Further turmoil followed as other DeTrafford companies faced a similar fate. DeTrafford Sky Gardens, responsible for a 13-floor development in Chester Road with 166 flats, went into Administration in early 2023. Alongside it, sister companies such as St George’s Gardens, City Gardens, and Wavelength also found themselves in dire straits. This left a trail of unpaid debt.

Reviews

Trustpilot reviews do little to steady the nerves either. The latest review in Jan 2025 states “Sadly been waiting since 2018 put 10% Deposit from our savings could had brought a house 🙁 lost 26k”.  Further reviews mention “bunch of criminals” and “do not trust”.

Third Party Actions 

I&L are currently running Third-Party Actions (TPA) for groups of people who all purchased apartments.  Detrafford No1 Castlefields Ltd fell into Administration before the development was completed. The TPA aims to recover the lost deposits.  The Third-Party Action against Stocker & Co solicitors is advanced and expected to conclude in the coming months.  

Meanwhile, we are still onboarding purchasers who used Versus Law and CS Conveyancing before commencing separate Third-Party Actions.  CS Conveyancing and Versus Law, among other solicitor firms, were recommended by De Trafford to purchasers. They were recommended for the acquisition of their apartments in various failed development schemes. Substantial evidence indicates that both CS Conveyancing and Versus Law were negligent. They breached their duty to clients by committing a material breach. We encourage purchasers, particularly those who engaged CS Conveyancing and Versus Law as their conveyancing solicitors, to step forward. We stand ready to assist them in the recovery of their deposits based on the evidence at hand.

Directors and Shareholders

The main Director and shareholder, Gary Thomas Jackson, has had a flurry of activity resigning from directorships and shareholdings of the DeTrafford brand of companies. He is replacing himself with one or more of his daughters – India, Emma, and Chloe.  Throwing his daughters under the bus to face potential legal action or insolvency procedures whilst he seemingly flees sinking ships is a strange way to behave.  

Summary

In the meantime, as DeTrafford Victoria Gardens NW Ltd is evidentially insolvent, Insolvency & Law intends to litigate this debt. We will do this either by a County Court action or via insolvency proceedings i.e. a petition to wind up the company. If this company owes you money, please make contact to Insolvency & Law immediately via [email protected].

In addition, if you or anyone you know, used CS Conveyancing or Versus Law to do their conveyancing for Detrafford No 1 Castlefields Ltd please get in touch via [email protected] or head to our dedicated website page here.

Lastly, if you are owed money by any company that is refusing to pay for whatever reason, and you believe the debt to be rightly due to you, please make contact to Insolvency & Law via [email protected] to discuss your options.