There have been “lots of expressions of interest” in the business of strawberry grower Pete Wensak, which went into administration at the end of last month, according to Simon Rowe from administrator Milsted Langdon.

Wensak’s Polehouse Nurseries entered into a company voluntary agreement with its creditors on April 30, but after being unable to meet subsequent liabilities, was put into administration at the end of last month. Rowe was confident that a resolution could be found within the licence period, which runs until November 1. The firm is hoping to sell the Polehouse business as a going concern.

Wensak said that a poor 2006 had put the company under pressure, with a shortage of seasonal labour adding to the problems.

However, the major factor in the firm’s difficulties came when Wensak was forced to switch banks, with the new bank failing to provide promised funding.

Staff at Polehouse, which is now trading under the name Phoenix Berry Farms, were all made redundant when the firm entered administration, but the majority have since been re-employed, with the firm operating under a temporary licence to allow the crop to still be harvested.

Wensak said that he and his wife had allowed seasonal staff to remain rent-free on the site, and that full-time staff and his retail customers, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, had been extremely supportive during the period.

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