Wendy WilliamsA BUSINESSMAN insists he was right to pull out of a deal with the Terra Sana restaurant chain.
Expat Ned Latif, 47, told the Olive Press he was ‘horrified’ to find the chain was, he claims, over two million euros in debt after signing for a franchise in Gibraltar.
The Portuguese restaurateur briefly took over the running of three of the chain’s restaurants in Marbella.
But, despite getting the full support of its staff, he claims the figures ‘did not add up’ and the debts – in particular 600,000 euros owed in social security payments – were too large to overcome.
Latif said: “When I came in nobody had been paid and there were big debts. I have not been able to sleep over this whole nightmare.”
In a fierce legal battle between Latif and parent company Stradane, he has now been issued a formal apology for falsehoods. A statement read: “We apologise to Mr. Latif if his image could have been tarnished.”
Latif added: “It is the first step to clearing my name, but who is going to pay back the £40,000 I lost, plus legal fees?”
Ned Latif is an anagram of Fail Tend. Thought you’d like to know.
We categorically denounce the content of this article as incorrect.
Stradane has nothing to apologize to Mohamed Latif, who has caused direct, verifiable, unquestionable financial damage to this company estimated in c. 200,000 Euros in unpaid current obligations during his possession, in addition to some estimated 60,000 Euros in unpaid bills to suppliers
with the company he used for this failed transaction, Market Soul Food.
Terra Sana has suffered an enormous reputational damage due to this individual, let alone the loss of the Sotogrande franchise directly linked to Mr Latif setting up a competing restaurant with a copy of our menu while still in inappropriate possession of our restaurants.
Stradane will let the Mercantile Court of Malaga act
accordingly, as it already did on April 15th by issuing an urgent injunction in record time to block Mr. Latif’s access to the cash, bank accounts and credit card of Market Soul Food, thus removing him without appeal from the management of the business by force of the law.
We remain available to clarify any information on this matter.
Turning into quite a bunfight now.
Dear Stradane/Terra Sana,
Enough! You consistently seek to run my name through the mud and spread falsehoods with regards to this matter and my person. I ask any interested reader or valued customer of Terra Sana to please click on the link below:
Spanish:
http://therealstory2012.over-blog.com/pages/The_Real_Story_La_Realidad_detras_de_Terra_Sana_Difamacion_y_Calumnias-5015188.html
English Translation:
http://therealstory2012.over-blog.com/pages/The_Real_Story_Terra_Sanas_true_colors_Libel_and_Defamation-5015092.html
This is a statement signed by Alejandro Zugasti (co-owner of Stradane and Terra Sana) and notarized in Marbella stating everything that has gone on, including the apology you deny in your post above. In business many things can go array, but I have always sought to carry out my duties with honesty and integrity. However you continually seek to defame, libel, and slander which speaks volumes of where your moral compass points, and the desperation that your financial situation is causing you. Again I ask any interested party in this matter to look at the comments in the following post made by Terra Sana:
http://www.helpful-ideas.com/index.php/restaurant/terra-sana-golden-mile-nueva-andalucia-puerto-banus/
I just want to close the chapter on this ugly affair and clear my name. Again, if any customer or supplier of the Terra Sana franchise would like to see the physical copy of the letter posted above, I would be happy to send it or show it to you personally.
Attentively,
Ned Latif