'Clean up Doncaster' businessman remains tight-lipped as further allegations emerge

Prominent local businessman Dominic Gibbs has come under fire after the Diamond Live Lounge he was involved in running collapsed earlier this year with a number of brides saying cash paid for wedding receptions at the Wood Street venue has not been returned following the business going bust.

Now others have come forward to say they have not been paid for work carried out for Mr Gibbs, who now runs a martial arts promotions firm Caged Steel which stages cage fighting events in the town.

Yesterday, it was revealed a number of couples have had their wedding plans wrecked after the venue – better known to many as Camelots – went bust in January, with some saying they have lost up to £500 each.

Details of the insolvency have only just emerged with Diamond quietly closing down its website and social media channels without any announcement.

Several years ago, Mr Gibbs was the figurehead of a drive to clean up Doncaster town centre, saying crime and anti-social behaviour was impacting on businesses, setting up a Clean Up Doncaster Town Centre Facebook page which attracted hundreds of members.

Following yesterday’s news of a number of brides being left out of pocket, others have now come forward to say they are still awating payment – one seven years afterwards.

One disgruntled worker said: “I’m still waiting on what Dom owes me from when it was a music venue! Over 7 years! And others are waiting too! So don’t expect getting anything.”

Another has alleged he was not paid for carrying out flooring work at the venue while an angry bridegroom has also come forward to say that his wedding plans for this Friday have been left in disarray.

He said: “Refund my ****, they didn’t even bother telling us they gone bust! I had to call them to get someone telling me they were closed. Our wedding is this Friday.”

Another bride has revealed she managed to get cash returned and said: “I didn’t let it go and got my money back and also found a new venue in time. I had various run ins with him as I knew a lot more than he was letting on. He’s a pure full blown a******!”

“Even funnier, this guy was doing speeches at Doncaster College to business students telling them how to be a successful business owner,” wrote another.

Mr Gibbs has denied being involved with Diamond Live Lounge when it closed and claims he has been helping people get their money back.

The revelations come after it emerged the business was declared insolvent on January 12 this year with no announcement made at the time.

It has also been revealed that a previous incarnation of the company folded in 2018 with just £345 in the bank.

Documents filed with Companies House show a firm called Diamond Live Lounge Ltd folded on January 10, 2018 with a handful of cash in its accounts.

A newly formed company, Diamond Doncaster, founded in January 2019, was the one declared insolvent in January this year.

A spokesman for Doncaster Council’s Licensing Department said: “On the 12 of January 2021, we were notified that Diamond Doncaster Ltd had either gone insolvent or been dissolved and the licence was closed.”

Emails to the firm have bounced back and a message on the venue’s telephone line states: “Due to the recent Covid-19 virus we are closed until further notice.”

The Free Press has made a number of attempts to contact Mr Gibbs for a full statement in response to the allegations.

His only response so far has been a reply to a tweet last weekend prior to a Caged Steel show in which he said: “I have a show this weekend, however, I wasn't a shareholder or director when the business's (sic) went into administration. I have been helping people get money back. Get all details and I will call them all next week.”

Documents listed on Companies House show his former or ongoing involvement in a number of companies with similar names, registered to a number of different addresses.

These include a firm called Freedom Events and Entertainment Ltd, whose address is listed as 34-46 Wood Street – the address of Diamond Live Lounge, Diamond Safety Management Ltd, Diamond Promotions Ltd and Diamond Business Centre Ltd.

A former operations manager at Doncaster Council, in November 2019 he revealed he was pouring his energies into his Caged Steel business saying: “I won’t be happy until we’re the biggest UK promotion company.”