By DAISY SAMPSON [email protected]
Luxury Almancil-based villa construction company Danshape has closed down, claiming unpaid debts from a large developer in the Algarve.
Danshape, a Danish owned family business that started operating in the Algarve in 1998, specialised in the construction, project management and consultation of luxury properties primarily in the Golden Triangle (Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Almancil).
On January 7, Danshape Construções S.A was declared bankrupt by the court in Loulé and the company then contacted associated businesses about the financial difficulties surrounding Danshape.
The company employed 15 staff directly and, at the peak of business during 2008, a further 250 people were indirectly contracted.
One of the largest projects undertaken by Danshape involved the development of the Pine Hill Residences at the Vila Sol resort near Vilamoura in conjunction with Bico do Pinhal construction company.
A supplier involved with Danshape told the Algarve Resident that the company’s owners, Ari Hansen and Per Ejrup, were claiming that their company was forced to close following an unpaid debt by Pine Hills Residences in the region of 1.7 million euros.
A spokesman for the law firm representing Bico do Pinhal, the developers for the Pine Hill Residences, released a statement to the Algarve Resident stating that up until December 30 all monies owed to Danshape had been paid.
“Allegations appointing Bico do Pinhal as being mainly responsible for the alleged bankruptcy status of Danshape are false as they do not correspond to the truth and are off ensive to the image and good name of Bico do Pinhal and its shareholders.
“Bico do Pinhal Sociedade de Promoção Turísica e Imobiliária SA will endeavour, as developer of the Pine Hill Residences Project, all efforts to bring forward the facts and will take legal actions, suing the persons behind such defamatory declarations.”
A spokesman from one of the companies affected by the closure of Danshape said: “Nobody has seen any of the family since last week and people are worried that they will not be paid.”
Ari Hansen told the Algarve Resident: “I can confirm that the business has closed and that we are currently trying to liquidate the company.
“We have been forced to leave the Algarve because of threats of violence and kidnapping against members of the family and my staff .” He added: “Some have left Portugal but I am still here attempting to sort out the problems with Danshape.
“On paper, 2008 was a great year for the company but that means nothing when you are not paid. A number of clients have let us down, including Pine Hills Residences. It would be helpful if we could feel safe to deal with this situation on a daily basis in the Algarve because nobody understands the situation of our business like we do and we could sort this out much faster.”
Anyone who wants to contact him can, he said: “My phone is on and I am contactable despite the offices in Almancil being closed.”
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