Tag Archives: Mo Chaudry

Get the right deal for Port Vale and the taxpayers

Posted on by

Recently taxpayers have lost money on the Dimensions fiasco, £2million lost in government funding to freeze council tax and now another massive loss to Port Vale.

I can hear the groans of the Vale supporters, that rightly want to keep their club open, and yes, the council helped Stoke City and yes they paid the money back.

Many decisions like this one are driven by emotion rather than good business sense and the council should not be swayed into throwing money at any businessman wanting to buy a football club on the cheap. Continue reading →

Posted from here.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council & Mo Chaudry No Hard Feelings

Posted on by

With the ink hardly dry on the cheque and compensation agreement between Mo Chaudry and Stoke-on-Trent City Council after the Dimensions fiasco, it seems there really are no hard feelings between the two parties.

It appears that Mr Chaudry is offering all council employees a free 7 day family pass for his new MClub gym in the latest edition of the City Council staff magazine.

Stoke-on-Trent Businessman Mo Chaudry Resigns From The NSRP

Posted on by

Influential Stoke-on-Trent business man Mo Chaudry has resigned from the under fire North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership [NSRP], the body responsible for the regeneration of the city.

Mr Chaudry, owner of one of Staffordshire finest leisure facilities Waterworld, has criticised what he describes as a ‘quagmire of bureaucracy’ that is impeding the work of the board.

He criticised the NSRP for having missed opportunities due to slow decision making. He described the structure as ‘muddled’ and claimed that the organisation lacked ‘autonomy’.

The NSRP’s brief is to lead the regeneration Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands. But it has recently come under the media spotlight as a result of Newcastle Borough Council’s decision to pull away from the partnership.

It has been alleged that Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council are also considering the continued involvement.

The NSRP has been the subject of a large amount of political scrutiny, particularly by certain elected members on Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Councillors have been concerned with the number of highly paid consultants deployed within the regeneration department. Some elected members have suggested that the top officers make little effort to include them in regeneration projects and rarely attend meetings.

In an article in today’s Sentinel the Leader of Newcastle Borough Council suggests that Stoke-on-Trent City Council Chief Executive, John van de Laarschot is also concerned within the performance of the NSRP.

In Conversation: Mo Chaudry – On Life And The BNP

Posted on by

This week news broke nationally that local millionaire businessman Mo Chaudry had applied to join the far right British National Party

The story created huge interest in the local and national media. Some people have questioned whether the move was a mere PR exercise on Mo’s part.

On Thursday I went to Waterworld minus, my Speedo’s to catch up with Mo who I had not seen in a long while.

We enjoyed a very frank, open and honest discussion.

Mo has had a fair amount of publicity through his achievements in the business world. He is in the top 100 Asian business people in the United Kingdom.

He has appeared in Channel 4′s Secret Millionaire programme, something he describes as a life changing experience.

In the last 12 months some of the publicity attached to Mo Chaudry has not always been positive.

The fact remains though that he is proud to be associated to the City of Stoke-on-Trent. While he is proud of his Pakistani heritage and of being a Muslim he is also proud to describe himself as British.

In the Audio Interview below, Mo tells us his reasons for applying for membership of the BNP and why he feels that Politics has failed the people of Stoke-on-Trent.

I have also added the link to the BBC I Player where you will find the Audio Interview Mo did with Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 Live. You need to scroll about 1 Hour 12 Minutes into the programme. Simon Darby PPC for Stoke Central represents the BNP.

There is also a link to the story earlier in the week that contained our Audio Interview with Simon Darby.

In my opinion, whether you like or dislike Mo he is open and straight talking and definitely not afraid of putting his head above the parapet….

I Will Fight The BNP From The Inside

Posted on by

Local Businessman Mo Chaudry has today applied to join the BNP so he can ‘fight them from the inside’

Speaking to the Independent Newspaper Mr Chaudry said, ‘If they are open to all British people then I want to join. If they let me in I will fight them from the inside and make their life very difficult.’

Mr Chaudry who runs a number of businesses around Stoke-on-Trent went on to say, ‘People are not racist in Stoke-on-Trent and I have never experienced racism in my time here. The good people that don’t vote need to get off their backside and change things.’

British National Party Deputy Ledaer Simon Darby who is also the party’s PPC for Stoke-on-Trent Central gave us his reaction to the news thyat Mo Chaudry hyas applied to join the BNP.

Listen to the Audio Interview below:

Corruption Charges Dropped

Posted on by

By Pits n Pots Reporter

scales of justice

scales of justice

Mark Meredith, Councillor Roger Ibbs, and  businessman Mo Chaudry have today been informed that they will not face charges after the Staffordshire Police investigation in to alleged corruption.

Staffordshire Police have stated that the CPS have told them there is no realistic prospect of a conviction based on the evidence from the investigation.

All three men no longer have to answer Police bail and the investigation is now closed.

Councillor Roger Ibbs who made the initial complaint about the proposed closure of Dimensions  is currently out of the country on holiday, but has contacted Pits n Pots and given

Roger Ibbs

Roger Ibbs

us the following statement:

“I have maintained my innocence throughout the police investigation and I am pleased that it has been established that there is no case to answer on my part.  I would like to add that my life has been thrown in to turmoil over the past 3 months. Many people have questioned my innocence but I knew from the start that I had done nothing wrong.” He went on to say, “I am now looking forward to getting back down to business and playing a full and active role in council when I return from holiday.  I am relieved that this matter is now over and done with.”

Stoke-on-Trent City Council have released the following press statement:

Stoke-on-Trent City Council notes the Crown Prosecution Service decision that
the evidence they have is not sufficient to provide a realistic prospect of
conviction.  We are grateful to Staffordshire Police for the thorough way it has
carried out the investigation.

Given the seriousness of the issues raised by the internal inquiry into the
proposed closure of Dimensions, the council believes it acted correctly in seeking
external legal advice. The council's external legal advisers referred the matter to
the police.

We are now considering whether any issues surrounding these inquiries need to be referred to
the council's standards committee. As a result we cannot comment
further on the detail of these inquiries.

Potteries Legend Sam Plank Saved By Business Entrepreneur Mo Chaudry!

Posted on by

mo2A multi-millionaire has stepped in to rescue a struggling commercial radio station.

Focal Radio, based in Stoke on Trent, started broadcasting to Staffordshire and Cheshire at the beginning of November but was forced off air a fortnight ago when the company ran out of funds and went into liquidation.

The radio station has been inundated with emails and messages of support ““ all asking when it would return and today it was back on the air (MONDAY) thanks to businessman Mo Chaudry, owner of Stoke-on-Trent’s Waterworld theme park.

His intervention has saved 20 jobs at the commercial station after he took over the DAB license from Ofcom.

Providing topical community led speech and music from the past 5 decades, Focal Radio, broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio and on-line at www.focalradio.com.  The radio station caters primarily for over 35′s in the day with specialist shows in the evening after 6pm including youth programmes, education programmes and broadcasting to the ethnic communities of our area.

Station Manager, Verity Hilton said “Focal Radio is a distinctive local radio station which reflects a positive outlook for the whole area.  Our team have been raring to get back on air since the plug was pulled on February 11th and they are thrilled that Mo is on board with a belief in them”.
mo1
Businessman Mo Chaudry has been following the radio station since its inception.  When he bought Waterworld from Rank Leisure he quickly turned a loss into a profit and knows he can do the same for Focal Radio.

“We believe we can forge a niche market by reaching out to local people and giving them a platform to discuss issues that affect our area” said Mo.  “Focal Radio covers every topic from sport to music and politics to an Asian show and I am delighted to be part of such an exciting venture!”

Mid-morning Presenter Sam Plank is ecstatic that Mo is in board.  “I am chuffed” said Sam.  “He has been so supportive through our plight which has been a difficult time for all the team.  Everyone has been working hard behind the scenes to get us on air and with Mo leading us we will come out of it stronger, bigger and better!  This radio station is for the people of our patch and we promise that their voice will be heard!  I’ve already said to Mo that if I’m not there ““ he should start without me!”