Halloween shocker leaves Derbyshire bakery with nearly £5,000 bill for using equipment without permission
Swadlincote-based bakers The Buckley Bakehouse has had to provide a Court with a formal Undertaking to stop using bread baskets belonging to Bakers Basco to transport its products without permission. It has also been ordered to pay £4,654.17 in costs.
During a legal hearing, which took place on October 31st 2016 in the County Court at Derby, Daniel Alan Buckley, Director of The Buckley Bakehouse, agreed to stop using Bakers Basco equipment without consent of the owners.
The Buckley Bakehouse has been caught on several previous occasions using Bakers Basco’s bread baskets and trolleys, and Deputy District Judge Maybury explained to Mr Buckley the consequences of failing to keep his “solemn promise” to the Court, which could include being fined, having assets seized and even being sent to prison. Mr Buckley did not submit any evidence in advance of the Court hearing and was not represented by counsel.
The Buckley Bakehouse has already had to make payments totalling £3,300 in damages for the previous occasions it took Bakers Basco’s property without permission.
“If people use our equipment without permission, that’s little better than theft, in our eyes – and often they end up dumping the baskets, to the detriment of the environment. When necessary, as in this case, we will take legal action stopping people from using and abusing our baskets and other items,”
explained Steve Millward, General Manager, Bakers Basco.
“Our baskets and trolleys are designed to last for years, transporting bread safely, cost-effectively and in an environmentally-friendly way. When people divert them for their own use, it has a knock-on effect on bakers, retailers and, at the end of the day, shoppers, all of whom end up footing the bill for the selfish actions of a small minority.”
Bakers Basco is a company set up to manage and license a pool of four million bread baskets and associated wheeled trolleys for the use of bakers. This allows for sharing of costs, a common design which optimises space in delivery vehicles (hence reducing ‘food miles’) and less waste from disposable packaging ending up in landfill. Currently, around 25 bakeries, ranging from small to very large, pay a license fee to use the equipment.
Bakers Basco bread baskets and trolleys are clearly marked as the company’s property. Usually, when it becomes aware that its equipment is being used without permission, a simple request to return the items is enough. However, in cases where companies hold on to Bakers Basco’s property after being asked to return it, it will take legal action.
It introduced GPS technology last year to help in its fight against the theft and abuse of bread baskets from its baker network, and has recently announced the roll-out of new improved tracking devices which have battery lives 10 times longer than the first generation’s. The new GPS trackers will allow the company to track the movements of its equipment even more effectively.
Implementing GPS tracking across its basket fleet has significantly reduced losses and improved recovery levels by its special tactical team which is dedicated to finding and reclaiming missing equipment.