Leading UK training provider collapses into liquidation

More than 200 people were employed at Qube Learning to train around 3,500 apprentices when it was put into liquidation in May 2023. 

The company based at Milton Park provided training for Specsavers, JD Group, Matalan, BT and Greater Anglia in sectors including care, logistics, retail and facilities. 

Qube’s founder Gavin Winchello (Image: unknown)

Tim Bateson and Chris Pole, of Interpath Advisory, were appointed as joint liquidators to wind down Qube Qualifications and Development Limited.

In a new liquidation report, Mr Bateson revealed he has managed to find £932,391 from the sale of a building used by Qube Learning.

He said: “The sale of one of the freehold properties has now completed and £932,391 was received by the company during the period in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement.

“The sale of the other freehold property subject to the settlement agreement is in progress and is expected to complete within the next few months.”

Qube Learning primarily operated out of Bee House in Eastern Avenue, Milton Park.

The primary asset of the company is an overdrawn director’s loan account totalling £1.59m connected to former director Gavin Winchello.

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Mr Winchello died in 2020 from an illness, some three years before the company’s collapse, leaving his wife Claire to take over.

Ordinary preferential claims from former employees of the company are estimated at £308,000.

Mr Bateson believes they will receive a dividend of 100p in the pound.

HMRC is also expected to receive all its £86,569 in unpaid tax back as a secondary preferential creditor.

“We expect to make a distribution to the unsecured creditors of the company,” Mr Bateson added.

“However, we are unable to confirm the quantum or timing of the dividend until such time that all realisations have been made.”

Liquidators previously estimated Qube accrued an approximate £2.95m total deficiency it will not be able to pay back to the 200-plus creditors. 

Since they were appointed in 2023, the liquidators have racked up a bill of around £102,000.

Qube Learning previously hinted that compeititon within the apprenticeship market led the ultimate demise.

In an email to staff and reported on by FE Week, Ms Winchello said that “increased competition in the apprenticeship market, challenges regarding stagnant funding bands, uncertainty around adult education budget contracts and the expected expiry of our traineeship contracts has meant there is too much uncertainty for the business to continue”.

She added it was a “heart-breaking” decision to close.