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USA WEEKLY NEWS exposes multi million fraud by directors against 30,000 SYHA members www.usaweeklynews.com
USA WEEKLY NEWS GROUP

6-10-06

Dear Marie and other members and staff of the SYHA

Thank you for your email. There is definitely a serious fraud going on by the new and old directors of the SYHA in relation to the sale of these two properties, the Eglinton and the Brunsfield and ironical as it may appear, this is just the beginning of this hidden fraud whereby our legal and investigative team is discovering new information daily regarding this hidden deception. What appears to have happened is that the original directors, who were appointed many years ago, have formed a brand new company on the 23-10-06 called the SYHA so that this new company has no assets yet this new company is still using the same corporate image of the SYHA which has been secretly hidden to all staff and parties concerned.  As a result, these same directors are planning to turn the original company with all the real estate assets that were donated by Walter Ballantyre 70 years ago into cash by selling the assets cheap to their associated developer mates in return for a huge spit in the profit. You will see a write up on our web site on the Press Room page on www.usaweeklynews.com. The best way to enter the site is to go through Google search.
It is interesting to note that we have written to all the new directors listed with the company’s office at their home addresses and have had no response to our letter and the allegations made against them. They are also aware that we have written these allegations on our web site www.usaweeklynews.com and they have not threatened us for defamation in any shape or form.  They obviously have something to hide if they are unable to respond to our informative statement and documented factual information backed up by our media support team.  From documented evidence and further investigations that have been carried out, the latest up to date information without a doubt reveals that most of these allegations are true, yet these same directors who are involved in this hidden fraud believe that their powerful contacts in Scotland will be able to protect them.  At this crucial time, every effort is required from ex staff members and members who have all paid for their membership fee to unite together and demand a face to face meeting with the directors.  As a paid member of the SYHA you have as much power to voice your opinion to prevent these hostels from being sold off and turned into flats.  It is the members who have power over the directors.  That is why Walter Ballantyre formed this non profit association to prevent developers from stealing his hard earned money.  He wanted to see that millions of dollars of his money was to assist youths in providing cheap accommodation by forming all these hostels throughout Scotland.  Now these same directors are aware of the consequences of their actions so they have formed a ‘spam block’ from all emails pertaining to our media group in order to prevent staff members from becoming aware of this hidden corruption and fraud.
 
The reason why we know about the other higher offers made for the buildings is that our media group made these offers on behalf of a very asset rich non profit company who wanted to purchase the two hostels for about £5 million pounds each with the intention of continuing the aims as set out in the non profit organization that was donated by Walter Ballantyre  which was to assist affordable accommodation to people of limited means as well as give them the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside. The main basic fundamental was to continue to assist people of limited affordable accommodation, not to sell this hostel to a development company, resulting in huge profits to the developers and the original directors as well as the ‘new front’ directors.  These same directors are aware that as a non profit organization, the hostel was to remain as a hostel as a means to giving youths the opportunity to survive comfortably while at the same time, be able to tour around Scotland and explore the beautiful countryside.  When Walter Ballantyre passed away, he donated all his life, energy and money into creating these hostels to remain as a non profit organization.  As generous as he was, Walter would be disgusted to see that all his hard earned money was fraudulently being extracted by these directors who have in some way fooled the staff and members by robbing them of their jobs and livelihoods by closing the hostel down in order to make room to sell the building into expensive, upmarket flats and in return, make huge hidden profits for themselves without informing any of the members or staff or their misleading intentions.  This is completely illegal and is not part of that aims of the non profit organization as set out in the constitution.
The directors have continued to fool the staff into making them believe that they are the rightful owners of the land and building when that is not the case at all.  They continued to breach their duties as directors of a non profit organization by forcing staff members to close up the premises and move.  The directors have without a doubt committed fraud by forcing their own power on individual members who have paid for their membership to have the right to reside at these youth hostels, because as individual members, they have more power and rights than these directors.  A non profit organization has no shareholders only members.  In a normal limited company which consists of directors, secretary and shareholders, it is the shareholders who own the assets.  In the case of a non profit organization, it is the members who have ownership of the rights, rules and regulations as set out in the aims of the non profit organization which give the 30,000 members power of the SYHA over the directors, especially, if the directors do not fulfil the main aims as set out in the constitution.
 In fact, on the day the Eglinton Youth Hostel closed down, legally the staff had the right to stay on and continue to operate the hostel for all the members.  In fact, it is the members and staff members who have more power over the directors because the directors have breached their duties within the constitution of the non profit organization.  By not leaving the premises, the staff members are able to carry on running the hostel as a non profit organization and as a result, these same directors would not be able to sell the hostel to developers in order to receive a huge cut in the profits.  The directors have gone against the aims of the non profit constitution and have not followed the agenda of what Walter Ballantyre had created.  Furthermore, these directors will be charged for deceiving all members and staff members associated to the SYHA and as a result, each member and staff member has the right to file a damage claim against all the directors for not performing within the rules as set out in the non profit organization. Legally, the staff and members have more rights than the directors and have the power to prevent the youth hostel from being sold off simply by opening the door of the hostel and taking back their positions to continue to provide affordable accommodation to youths in Scotland.  Any staff member can do this. Therefore, even though the hostel has been closed down, all it requires is a motivated person to re-open the youth hostel and continue to operate the hostel as set out in the aims of the non profit organization.  The members have the right to appoint new directors, especially, if the new directors have breached their duties which in this case they have.  Finally, these same directors will have to come face to face with such trickery and fraud and attempts should be made so that the staff and members can take back their positions to operate the Eglinton once again as a youth hostel as set out in the non profit organization. At the same time, these developers are going to turn each hostel into about 15 flats each and in return will sell each flat for about £1 million pounds each as they are in the most prime areas of Edinburgh which is fast becoming one of the most expensive real estate areas in the United Kingdom.
Looking forward to hearing from you and to assist us in gathering as much information and support in order to stop the sales from going through before the 17-11-06. We are prepared to pay for lawyers in Scotland as we are based in the USA even though we have been doing a lot of work in the UK.  Marie, could you please email our letters to other staff members and members who are up in arms over this as well as email a copy of our letters to as many people as you can, including the current staff and management of the SYHA.  At this stage, the directors have become alarmed by blocking all emails coming from our media group?  The more people become aware internally, the more concerned the directors will become.  The directors believe they are unstoppable, however the more staff members, club members and media become aware, the directors will be too worried to continue with this corruption because they know what they are doing is wrong , resulting in their arrest for creating such hidden deception to staff members and club members and if they continue in this deceptive and fraudulent way, they will end up having ‘mud thrown on their faces’ which is not a pleasant process to experience. If the directors carry on with transferring these properties to these friendly developers and do not stop these sales, then our media group will leave no stone unturned and will do everything in our power to have them criminally prosecuted, civilly sued as individuals and publicly exposed in the world media with questions to be asked in parliament.  They may believe they may get away with all this hidden corruption initially, however with all the information and evidence that has been gathered, the truth will eventually be exposed, resulting in them being publicly embarrassed in such a way that they may have to leave Scotland because of the shame that they will bring to themselves and their families.
It is our media’s group belief that these current directors are being used as ‘pawns’ by the old directors, who are the real background controllers of these valuable assets, yet they do not own these assets (land and buildings) that were left by Walter Ballantyre.  These assets are not owned by the directors.  These assets (land and buildings) belong to the community which gives the members and staff members the rights to reside within the hostels as set out by the aims of the constitution. The new directors have been put up front to protect the old directors because they are aware that what they are doing is illegal as they are not fulfilling the intentions of the non profit organization. The directors were to continue running the SYHA as a non profit organization and only as that and nothing else.  The USA Weekly News has been told by one ex-staff member that the directors have already had a meeting to agree to try and turn the company holding the real estate assets (being the original company), into a private company which completely illegal and fraudulent. They are aware of this fact and they know that they have gone against the rules as set out in the original aims of the non profit organization.  However, they believe that staff and other members will not be aware of this fact.  They have created their own rules by ‘ripping off the staff and members’ because they have taken away your jobs and taken accommodation away from the valuable members to fulfil their own greed so that they can earn a huge profit for themselves by selling the building to their friendly developers friends.  The original directors are aware that they should continue to pursue the ultimate goal that was created by Walter Ballantyre which was for the benefit of the Scottish Youth to provide people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon
 
Best regards
 
George Winthrop
usaweeklynews.com
LEGAL AND INVESTIGATIVE TEAM

 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: About SYHA
From: Marie <marie@dagensskiva.com>
Date: Sun, November 05, 2006 1:20 pm
T0: admin3@usaweeklynews.com

Hello,

I was forwarded the email you sent to staff and head office of SYHA
about fraudulent behaviour. I'm my self a ex-staff. It is definently
interesting how they have recently changed their status. I was wondering
where you got the information about the higher bids for buying the
hostels, from. I have certainly not heard about this before.

Best Regards, Marie

 

01-11-06

From:
 www.usaweeklynews.com
Email: admin3@usaweeklynews.com

 

Attention: Rob Ralston

Attention:        Directors of Scottish Youth Hostel Association:

Margo Sarah Paterson –Secretary

Director: Victor Hugh Bourne,  Appointed: 23/10/2006

Director: Paul Goldfinch Apppointed: 23/10/2006

Director: Judith Roxburgh   Apppointed: 23/10/2006

SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION formed 23/10/06

 7 Glebe CrescentStirlingFK8 2JA

 Rob Ralston, Information Systems Manager, Tel:01786 891400
Fax:01786 891333 Central Reservations: 08701 553255

www.syha.org.uk        info@syha.org.uk

 

Dear Sirs

 

Our media group is  investigating why your non profit organization is attempting to sell the Eglinton Youth Hostel at 18 Eglinton Cresent Edinburgh EH12 5dd and the Brunsfied Hostel for around £2 Million each when we have information that there was an offer for about £5 million for each property. Most importantly, the major issue that needs your immediate attention is the fact that 30,000 members are not happy with the sale of these two properties and are not happy with the building being sold in complete opposition to the original aims of this non profit Association. The other question is why has the SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION only formed 23/10/06.

 

 

Please note the following:

 

W R B allantyne O.B.E>, J.P., L.L.B., F.R.S.G.S.

                                        1905-1988

                                                                                       

In memory of Walter Ballantyre –

who gave more than fifty years of distinguished voluntary service to the Scottish Youth Hostels Association and who between 1935 and 1988, held successively, the offices of

Assistant Honorary Secretary, Honorary Secretary, Vice Chairman, Chairman and Honorary President.

As Chairman from 1958-1975 he exerted a wise and moderating influence upon the affairs of the Association and was always concerned that it should be true to its basic purpose of giving young people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside.

In recognition of this service to his own Association and to the wider international youth hostel movement, he was elected as Honorary President of the S.Y.H.A. in 1975 and was awarded the Richard  Schirrmann Medal in 1978 and the Order of the British Empire in 1982.

 

New company formed on the 23rd October 2006 by

Margo Sarah Paterson Secretary: -British - appointed 23-10-06

10 WHITEYETTS DRIVE SAUCHIE ALLOA CLACKMANNANSHIRE FK10 3GE

 

Director: Victor Hugh Bourne,  Appointed: 23/10/2006 British

 Date of Birth: 23/02/1948

 55 NEWBATTLE ABBEY CRESCENT   DALKEITH   MIDLOTHIAN   EH22 3LN

Director: Paul Goldfinch Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British

 Date of Birth: 04/04/1945

 1 ROYAL TERRACE LINLITHGOW WEST  LOTHIAN EH49 6HQ

 

Director: Judith Roxburgh   Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British  Date of Birth: 21/06/1944

9 WYNYARD GREEN EAST KILBRIDE LANARKSHIRE   G75 8EW

 

 Including new directors to fraudulently deal with the assets that were donated by

 

Name & Registered Office:SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION
7 GLEBE CRESCENTSTIRLINGFK8 2JA

Company No. SC310841 Status: Active

Date of Incorporation: 23/10/2006

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: PRI/LBG/NSC/S.30 (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital, section 30 of the Companies Act)
Nature of Business (SIC(03)): None Supplied

 

Accounting Reference Date: 31/10
Last Accounts Made Up To:  (NO ACCOUNTS FILED)
Next Accounts Due: 23/08/2008 Last Return Made Up To:  

Next Return Due: 20/11/2007

 

Previous Names:

 

No previous name information has been recorded over the last 20 years.

Branch Details

There are no branches associated with this company.

 

Nature of Business: Not supplied to Companies Office for public record

 

Overseas Company Info

There are no Overseas Details associated with this company.

 

Aims: Forming part of the worldwide hostelling international chain, Scottish Youth Hostels offer a wide range of accommodation throughout Scotland to backpackers, groups, families, schools and educational tours and outdoor enthusiasts. Specific packages are offered for activity holidays and itinerary planning. Rent-a-hostel is available out of main season dates.

 

 Scottish Youth Hostels Association: Date of Incorporation: 23/10/2006   : SC310841

Last Accounts Made Up To: no accounts filed

 

PRI/LBG/NSC/S.30

(Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital, section 30 of the Companies Act)

 

Secretary: PATERSON,  MARGO SARAH-British - appointed 23-10-06

                 10 WHITEYETTS DRIVE SAUCHIE ALLOA CLACKMANNANSHIRE

 

Director: GOLDFINCH, PAUL Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British

Date of Birth: 04/04/1945

1 ROYAL TERRACE LINLITHGOW WEST  LOTHIAN EH49 6HQ FK10 3GE

 

Director: BOURNE, VICTOR HUGH  Appointed: 23/10/2006 British 

Date of Birth: 23/02/1948

55 NEWBATTLE ABBEY CRESCENT   DALKEITH   MIDLOTHIAN   EH22 3LN

 

Director: ROXBURGH, JUDITH  Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British 

Date of Birth: 21/06/1944

9 WYNYARD GREEN EAST KILBRIDE LANARKSHIRE   G75 8EW

 

Mr Walter Ballantyre not only dedicated his time and money into providing affordable accommodation to youths while giving them the opportunity to explore Scotland but most of all, he would be absolutely disgusted upon realizing that the Scottish Youth Hostel at 18  Eglinton Crescent  Edinburgh was being sold off to a development company, without obtaining permission from 30,000 members who have complete rights over any decision-making and who have the power to show the start of an unstoppable movement.  In fact, at this present time, there are many members who will not allow such injustice and abuse of power to continue.  They all are up in arms by the directors who have used such trickery and fraud by not fulfilling the aims of the non profit organization.  These same members have all submitted a refusal to accept being thrown out from the hostel and made to believe that they are powerless after they have all paid for their membership.  One member, in particular, has just paid for a membership only a week ago without being advised by the management that the youth hostel was being sold off to a development company and would not be able to use his membership at this hostel that has just been closed as from 31 October, 2006.  He is extremely upset and will contact as many authorities as possible if this hostel is sold off and converted into flats.  Even though he has been a member at this hostel for many years, he just recently renewed his membership on the 30 October, 2006 at 18 Eglinton Crescent Edinburgh and has remained totally unaware at the time he paid for his membership that he could no longer stay at the hostel the following day. He was forced to leave unwillingly. In fact, his money had been fraudulently taken under false pretences by misleading this member into believing that he had a continuing membership to stay at his favourite hostel. This opens up a new large inquiry into knowing how many more members have been mislead into paying their membership fee believing they could continue to reside at these hostels. In fact, there are over 30,000 members that have been deceived. In simple terms, a not for profit company running what is in effect a “club”, can not sell 30,000 memberships and then sell the “club” house so the members can no longer use the “club” house.

 

Our media group are doing a complete investigation into the SYHA and its directors and the way they are operating the SYHA.

The evidence seems clear that you are trying to sell the property to property developers who will make a substantial profit on millions of pounds by turning the building into 14 flats and your organisation has willingly handed this profit to them. One has to wonder the type of ‘kicked backs’ and ‘pay offs’ involved here. We are investigating further into all of this. Either way, the move has not been in the benefit of the SYHA, but rather the developers who are trying to purchase the building. If there was to be a management decision with members approval to allow this historical heritage building to be turned into flats, then in any event the multi millions in profits should be made by the not for profit Scottish Youth Hostel Association who’s aims are: to provide young people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside ( from statement displayed at the Eglinton Youth Hostel next to the photo of Walter Ballantyre as transcribed above)

 

The community and the members are completely shocked of the closure of this beautiful, historical, high ornate building which provides all the facilities and abundance of comfort, space and tranquillity to all its members and has been one of the main foundations of the SYHA in Scotland and is known all over the world as a friendly, affordable place to stay and learn about Scotland, while exploring all the heritage belonging to such a wonderful country.  The USA Weekly News will cut through all obstacles and with the aid of our legal and investigative team are prepared to take this serious situation to press by pushing for world wide media attention on our web site www.usaweeklynews.com especially if the directors of this non profit organization do not fulfil the duties and regulations as set out in the aims of the constitution of the Scottish Youth Hostels Association. The other important question that needs to be addressed is why was the Scottish Youth Hostels Association formed on the 23-10-06 when these properties held by the Association has been running for over 70 years. It seems unlikely that a company only formed about one week ago can be the registered owner of some seventy freehold hostels throughout Scotland with an annual income of around £6 million. The company has lodged no accounts with the company’s office and shows no nature of business and no previous names of business. It is obvious the directors and secretary have something to hide. The members and the general public have clearly been mislead upon realising that a new company has only just recently been formed on the 23-10-06, about one week ago, claiming to own over 70 freehold hostels throughout Scotland, with an annual turnover of over £6 million pounds that has no accounts, and no nature of business, or any previous business or operating names. This is simply too hard to believe. It appears that the original directors of the 70 year old Scottish Youth Hostels Association which owned over 70 freehold hostels in Scotland, have changed the name of the original company in an effort to try and change this into a private company, then used the original name Scottish Youth Hostels Association to form a new shelf company with no assets or income to form the new company with company number SC310841 on the 23-10-06.

Now the directors are intending to sell off valuable properties at the lowest price possible to friendly developers and use the cash from these sales to pay cash for new hostels to be registered in the new company and paying the same group of developers top price for these purpose built hostels giving the developers a large profit and in turn selling the prime properties cheap to these developers as well as these same directors receiving large secretly hidden payoff funds from the profits.

The USA Weekly News is looking forward to immediately hearing from the directors of the SYHA formed on the 23-10-06 as named above. You have the opportunity to express your point of view in order to pacify and assist in overcoming any misunderstandings to a great number of members of the SYHA who have contacted the USA Weekly News demanding immediate answers regarding their paid memberships before this entire matter goes to press.

 

A great many members have notified our media group that your company is a non profit organization and the use of the assets that are invested in the thirty thousand members world wide, in fact, requires the members’ permission before you can sell these buildings or any part of this building. You appear to have ignored all these members, not taking into account that they have the power to vote against these hostels from being sold against their permission.  It is clearly obvious that you are running this organisation for your own benefit, not for the benefit of the community and the members and are not following the charter and aims of the organisation that the founders set out to achieve. Most importantly, Mr Ballantyre dedicated his entire energy, time and money into donating these funds into keeping this hostel under the umbrella of a non profit organization.  You appear to be moving forward on your own agenda without initially obtaining any of the members’ permission and by using such trickery can be deemed as a pure case of fraud. Even after Mr Ballantyre passed away, this dedication has been enforced within the aims of the non profit constitution to continue to remain as a youth hostel to assist limited youths’ affordable accommodation while travelling throughout Scotland.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible for your comments

 

Yours sincerely

 

George Winthrop

For and on behalf  Media Group –
USA WEEKLY NEWS MEDIA GROUP/USA WEEKLY NEWS.COM

PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEW S MEDIA ORGANISATION

Cc: Mike Pringle MSP    The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP

Mike.pringle.msp@scottish.parliament.uk     www.mikepringlemsp.com

Member of Scottish Parliament

Urgent: Attention:
Joy Hapson Investigator for the Official Scottish Charities Registry

Tel: 01382 220446 Fax: 0138 2220314
email: info@oscr.org.uk; joy.hampson@oscr.org.uk

David,
 
Thank you for your e-mail.
 
I have forwarded your e-mail onto our Deputy Chief Executive and she will respond to you directly.
 
I hope this is of help to you but should you require anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.
 
 
Best regards,
 
 
Jemma Mundell
 


SYHA Customer Services,
SYHA National Office,
7 Glebe Crescent,
Stirling
FK8 2JA

Telephone:     (+44) 870 1 55 32 55
Fax:      (+44) 1786  891350

E-mail:     reservations@syha.org.uk

Web
http://www.syha.org.uk ; http://www.RentaHostel.com
http://www.Carbisdale.org

Part of Hostelling International : http://www.HIhostels.com

-----Original Message-----
From: David Williams [mailto:davidwalterwilliams@yahoo.com]
Sent: 11 November 2006 11:48
To: SYHA Customer Services
Cc: SYHA Customer Services
Subject: RE: Urgent reservations required

11-11-06
 
Urgent attention
Lisa Strathie
SYHA Central Reservations,
SYHA National Office,
7 Glebe Crescent ,
Stirling
FK8 2JA
SYHA Customer Services <reservations@syha.org.uk

DEAR LISA
 
Why have they closed down the Eglinton Youth Hostel? What is happening with the building? This has been a wonderful place for many years offering the members wonderful accommodation. Most of the group are members and have paid their membership to be able to continue to stay at the Eglinton. During the winter we have been paying £12 a night and now you are saying that we have to pay £18.50 up wards at another hostel. We find this rather odd. The Eglinton Hostel was donated along with many other hostels for the purpose of providing affordable accommodation and a friendly atmosphere. There are a lot of members, including ourselves and we have all paid our membership fees so that we can continue to stay at the Eglinton and other hostels that the SYHA advertise as belonging to the SYHA.
 
We feel that this is a complete fraud, including the other 30,000 members and the matter should be put in the hands of the fraud squad. Not only could the directors and managers of the SYHA being criminally charged, but any staff members who have also sold a membership. It is completely fraudulent to sell memberships to be able to stay somewhere and then close the building down like this. We have been speaking to a lawyer who works for the charity that we help out and he says there is the Official Scottish Charities Regulator that investigates the way charities such as the way the SYHA is been operated.
I would like an immediate answer as to what is going on. What is happening with the building, has it been sold? If is has this would be completely against the reason this property was left to the charity called the SYHA.
 
We are very upset about this and demand to know what is going on and have some open and frank explanation. If we do not hear back from you immediately, we are going to the police and the official Scottish Charities\regulator to have something done about this situation and have the directors and staff prosecuted. This situation can not be allowed to happen and we will do what we can to stop what ever is happening. It is just not right.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible, otherwise, we will have to take further action by Monday 13 November 2006.
 
Yours faithfully
 
David Walter Williams
 
 
 
 
SYHA Customer Services <reservations@syha.org.uk> wrote:
Dear David,
 
Thank you for your email.
 
Unfortunately Edinburgh Eglinton is now closed, however we do have a new hostel Edinburgh Central which is located on Leith Walk at Haddington Place. 
 
The dates that we cannot accommodate your group are:
 
11th November
25th November
29th Dec - 1st January
9th + 10th February
31st March
23rd June
25th June
 
Dormitory prices start at £18.50 senior and £15.00 junior.
 
Would this hostel be of interest to you?
 
Kind regards
 
 

Lisa Strathie
SYHA Central Reservations,
SYHA National Office,
7 Glebe Crescent,
Stirling
FK8 2JA

Telephone:     (+44) 870 1 55 32 55
Fax:      (+44) 1786  891350

Web
http://www.syha.org.uk ; http://www.RentaHostel.com
http://www.Carbisdale.org

Part of Hostelling International : http://www.HIhostels.com

 
-----Original Message-----
From: David Williams [mailto:davidwalterwilliams@yahoo.com]
Sent: 07 November 2006 11:26
To: SYHA Customer Services
Cc: SYHA Customer Services
Subject: Urgent reservations required
Importance: High

Hi
 
Our group are all members of the SYHA and we have been staying at the Eglinton for many years. We would like to book a group of forty people from the 11th of November 2006 till the 28th of June 2007. We are all working on a comunity project and have donated our time. We are on a limited budget so we thought the winter prices of the Eglinton Hostel at 18 Eglinton Cresent with member discounts would be affordable to us.
Would there be a bigger discount being forty of us for about six months?
 
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible
 
kindest regards
 
David Walter Williams

USA WEEKLY NEWS GROUP

6-10-06

Dear Marie and other members and staff of the SYHA

Thank you for your email. There is definitely a serious fraud going on by the new and old directors of the SYHA in relation to the sale of these two properties, the Eglinton and the Brunsfield and ironical as it may appear, this is just the beginning of this hidden fraud whereby our legal and investigative team is discovering new information daily regarding this hidden deception. What appears to have happened is that the original directors, who were appointed many years ago, have formed a brand new company on the 23-10-06 called the SYHA so that this new company has no assets yet this new company is still using the same corporate image of the SYHA which has been secretly hidden to all staff and parties concerned.  As a result, these same directors are planning to turn the original company with all the real estate assets that were donated by Walter Ballantyre 70 years ago into cash by selling the assets cheap to their associated developer mates in return for a huge spit in the profit. You will see a write up on our web site on the Press Room page on www.usaweeklynews.com. The best way to enter the site is to go through Google search.
It is interesting to note that we have written to all the new directors listed with the company’s office at their home addresses and have had no response to our letter and the allegations made against them. They are also aware that we have written these allegations on our web site www.usaweeklynews.com and they have not threatened us for defamation in any shape or form.  They obviously have something to hide if they are unable to respond to our informative statement and documented factual information backed up by our media support team.  From documented evidence and further investigations that have been carried out, the latest up to date information without a doubt reveals that most of these allegations are true, yet these same directors who are involved in this hidden fraud believe that their powerful contacts in Scotland will be able to protect them.  At this crucial time, every effort is required from ex staff members and members who have all paid for their membership fee to unite together and demand a face to face meeting with the directors.  As a paid member of the SYHA you have as much power to voice your opinion to prevent these hostels from being sold off and turned into flats.  It is the members who have power over the directors.  That is why Walter Ballantyre formed this non profit association to prevent developers from stealing his hard earned money.  He wanted to see that millions of dollars of his money was to assist youths in providing cheap accommodation by forming all these hostels throughout Scotland.  Now these same directors are aware of the consequences of their actions so they have formed a ‘spam block’ from all emails pertaining to our media group in order to prevent staff members from becoming aware of this hidden corruption and fraud.
 
The reason why we know about the other higher offers made for the buildings is that our media group made these offers on behalf of a very asset rich non profit company who wanted to purchase the two hostels for about £5 million pounds each with the intention of continuing the aims as set out in the non profit organization that was donated by Walter Ballantyre  which was to assist affordable accommodation to people of limited means as well as give them the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside. The main basic fundamental was to continue to assist people of limited affordable accommodation, not to sell this hostel to a development company, resulting in huge profits to the developers and the original directors as well as the ‘new front’ directors.  These same directors are aware that as a non profit organization, the hostel was to remain as a hostel as a means to giving youths the opportunity to survive comfortably while at the same time, be able to tour around Scotland and explore the beautiful countryside.  When Walter Ballantyre passed away, he donated all his life, energy and money into creating these hostels to remain as a non profit organization.  As generous as he was, Walter would be disgusted to see that all his hard earned money was fraudulently being extracted by these directors who have in some way fooled the staff and members by robbing them of their jobs and livelihoods by closing the hostel down in order to make room to sell the building into expensive, upmarket flats and in return, make huge hidden profits for themselves without informing any of the members or staff or their misleading intentions.  This is completely illegal and is not part of that aims of the non profit organization as set out in the constitution.
The directors have continued to fool the staff into making them believe that they are the rightful owners of the land and building when that is not the case at all.  They continued to breach their duties as directors of a non profit organization by forcing staff members to close up the premises and move.  The directors have without a doubt committed fraud by forcing their own power on individual members who have paid for their membership to have the right to reside at these youth hostels, because as individual members, they have more power and rights than these directors.  A non profit organization has no shareholders only members.  In a normal limited company which consists of directors, secretary and shareholders, it is the shareholders who own the assets.  In the case of a non profit organization, it is the members who have ownership of the rights, rules and regulations as set out in the aims of the non profit organization which give the 30,000 members power of the SYHA over the directors, especially, if the directors do not fulfil the main aims as set out in the constitution.
 In fact, on the day the Eglinton Youth Hostel closed down, legally the staff had the right to stay on and continue to operate the hostel for all the members.  In fact, it is the members and staff members who have more power over the directors because the directors have breached their duties within the constitution of the non profit organization.  By not leaving the premises, the staff members are able to carry on running the hostel as a non profit organization and as a result, these same directors would not be able to sell the hostel to developers in order to receive a huge cut in the profits.  The directors have gone against the aims of the non profit constitution and have not followed the agenda of what Walter Ballantyre had created.  Furthermore, these directors will be charged for deceiving all members and staff members associated to the SYHA and as a result, each member and staff member has the right to file a damage claim against all the directors for not performing within the rules as set out in the non profit organization. Legally, the staff and members have more rights than the directors and have the power to prevent the youth hostel from being sold off simply by opening the door of the hostel and taking back their positions to continue to provide affordable accommodation to youths in Scotland.  Any staff member can do this. Therefore, even though the hostel has been closed down, all it requires is a motivated person to re-open the youth hostel and continue to operate the hostel as set out in the aims of the non profit organization.  The members have the right to appoint new directors, especially, if the new directors have breached their duties which in this case they have.  Finally, these same directors will have to come face to face with such trickery and fraud and attempts should be made so that the staff and members can take back their positions to operate the Eglinton once again as a youth hostel as set out in the non profit organization. At the same time, these developers are going to turn each hostel into about 15 flats each and in return will sell each flat for about £1 million pounds each as they are in the most prime areas of Edinburgh which is fast becoming one of the most expensive real estate areas in the United Kingdom.
Looking forward to hearing from you and to assist us in gathering as much information and support in order to stop the sales from going through before the 17-11-06. We are prepared to pay for lawyers in Scotland as we are based in the USA even though we have been doing a lot of work in the UK.  Marie, could you please email our letters to other staff members and members who are up in arms over this as well as email a copy of our letters to as many people as you can, including the current staff and management of the SYHA.  At this stage, the directors have become alarmed by blocking all emails coming from our media group?  The more people become aware internally, the more concerned the directors will become.  The directors believe they are unstoppable, however the more staff members, club members and media become aware, the directors will be too worried to continue with this corruption because they know what they are doing is wrong , resulting in their arrest for creating such hidden deception to staff members and club members and if they continue in this deceptive and fraudulent way, they will end up having ‘mud thrown on their faces’ which is not a pleasant process to experience. If the directors carry on with transferring these properties to these friendly developers and do not stop these sales, then our media group will leave no stone unturned and will do everything in our power to have them criminally prosecuted, civilly sued as individuals and publicly exposed in the world media with questions to be asked in parliament.  They may believe they may get away with all this hidden corruption initially, however with all the information and evidence that has been gathered, the truth will eventually be exposed, resulting in them being publicly embarrassed in such a way that they may have to leave Scotland because of the shame that they will bring to themselves and their families.
It is our media’s group belief that these current directors are being used as ‘pawns’ by the old directors, who are the real background controllers of these valuable assets, yet they do not own these assets (land and buildings) that were left by Walter Ballantyre.  These assets are not owned by the directors.  These assets (land and buildings) belong to the community which gives the members and staff members the rights to reside within the hostels as set out by the aims of the constitution. The new directors have been put up front to protect the old directors because they are aware that what they are doing is illegal as they are not fulfilling the intentions of the non profit organization. The directors were to continue running the SYHA as a non profit organization and only as that and nothing else.  The USA Weekly News has been told by one ex-staff member that the directors have already had a meeting to agree to try and turn the company holding the real estate assets (being the original company), into a private company which completely illegal and fraudulent. They are aware of this fact and they know that they have gone against the rules as set out in the original aims of the non profit organization.  However, they believe that staff and other members will not be aware of this fact.  They have created their own rules by ‘ripping off the staff and members’ because they have taken away your jobs and taken accommodation away from the valuable members to fulfil their own greed so that they can earn a huge profit for themselves by selling the building to their friendly developers friends.  The original directors are aware that they should continue to pursue the ultimate goal that was created by Walter Ballantyre which was for the benefit of the Scottish Youth to provide people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon
 
Best regards
 
George Winthrop
usaweeklysnew.com
LEGAL AND INVESTIGATIVE TEAM

 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: About SYHA
From: Marie <marie@dagensskiva.com>
Date: Sun, November 05, 2006 1:20 pm
To: admin3@usaweeklynews.com

Hello,

I was forwarded the email you sent to staff and head office of SYHA
about fraudulent behaviour. I'm my self a ex-staff. It is definently
interesting how they have recently changed their status. I was wondering
where you got the information about the higher bids for buying the
hostels, from. I have certainly not heard about this before.

Best Regards, Marie

 

01-11-06

From: www.usaweeklynews.com admin3@usaweeklynews.com

 

Attention: Rob Ralston

Attention:        Directors of Scottish Youth Hostel Association:

Margo Sarah Paterson –Secretary

Director: Victor Hugh Bourne,  Appointed: 23/10/2006

Director: Paul Goldfinch Apppointed: 23/10/2006

Director: Judith Roxburgh   Apppointed: 23/10/2006

SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION formed 23/10/06

 7 Glebe CrescentStirlingFK8 2JA

 Rob Ralston, Information Systems Manager, Tel:01786 891400
Fax:01786 891333 Central Reservations: 08701 553255

www.syha.org.uk        info@syha.org.uk

 

Dear Sirs

 

Our media group is  investigating why your non profit organization is attempting to sell the Eglinton Youth Hostel at 18 Eglinton Cresent Edinburgh EH12 5dd and the Brunsfied Hostel for around £2 Million each when we have information that there was an offer for about £5 million for each property. Most importantly, the major issue that needs your immediate attention is the fact that 30,000 members are not happy with the sale of these two properties and are not happy with the building being sold in complete opposition to the original aims of this non profit Association. The other question is why has the SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION only formed 23/10/06.

 

 

Please note the following:

 

W R B allantyne O.B.E>, J.P., L.L.B., F.R.S.G.S.

                                        1905-1988

                                                                                       

In memory of Walter Ballantyre –

who gave more than fifty years of distinguished voluntary service to the Scottish Youth Hostels Association and who between 1935 and 1988, held successively, the offices of

Assistant Honorary Secretary, Honorary Secretary, Vice Chairman, Chairman and Honorary President.

As Chairman from 1958-1975 he exerted a wise and moderating influence upon the affairs of the Association and was always concerned that it should be true to its basic purpose of giving young people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside.

In recognition of this service to his own Association and to the wider international youth hostel movement, he was elected as Honorary President of the S.Y.H.A. in 1975 and was awarded the Richard  Schirrmann Medal in 1978 and the Order of the British Empire in 1982.

 

New company formed on the 23rd October 2006 by

Margo Sarah Paterson Secretary: -British - appointed 23-10-06

10 WHITEYETTS DRIVE SAUCHIE ALLOA CLACKMANNANSHIRE FK10 3GE

 

Director: Victor Hugh Bourne,  Appointed: 23/10/2006 British

 Date of Birth: 23/02/1948

 55 NEWBATTLE ABBEY CRESCENT   DALKEITH   MIDLOTHIAN   EH22 3LN

Director: Paul Goldfinch Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British

 Date of Birth: 04/04/1945

 1 ROYAL TERRACE LINLITHGOW WEST  LOTHIAN EH49 6HQ

 

Director: Judith Roxburgh   Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British  Date of Birth: 21/06/1944

9 WYNYARD GREEN EAST KILBRIDE LANARKSHIRE   G75 8EW

 

 Including new directors to fraudulently deal with the assets that were donated by

 

Name & Registered Office:SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION
7 GLEBE CRESCENTSTIRLINGFK8 2JA

Company No. SC310841 Status: Active

Date of Incorporation: 23/10/2006

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: PRI/LBG/NSC/S.30 (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital, section 30 of the Companies Act)
Nature of Business (SIC(03)): None Supplied

 

Accounting Reference Date: 31/10
Last Accounts Made Up To:  (NO ACCOUNTS FILED)
Next Accounts Due: 23/08/2008 Last Return Made Up To:  

Next Return Due: 20/11/2007

 

Previous Names:

 

No previous name information has been recorded over the last 20 years.

Branch Details

There are no branches associated with this company.

 

Nature of Business: Not supplied to Companies Office for public record

 

Overseas Company Info

There are no Overseas Details associated with this company.

 

Aims: Forming part of the worldwide hostelling international chain, Scottish Youth Hostels offer a wide range of accommodation throughout Scotland to backpackers, groups, families, schools and educational tours and outdoor enthusiasts. Specific packages are offered for activity holidays and itinerary planning. Rent-a-hostel is available out of main season dates.

 

 Scottish Youth Hostels Association: Date of Incorporation: 23/10/2006   : SC310841

Last Accounts Made Up To: no accounts filed

 

PRI/LBG/NSC/S.30

(Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital, section 30 of the Companies Act)

 

Secretary: PATERSON,  MARGO SARAH-British - appointed 23-10-06

                 10 WHITEYETTS DRIVE SAUCHIE ALLOA CLACKMANNANSHIRE

 

Director: GOLDFINCH, PAUL Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British

Date of Birth: 04/04/1945

1 ROYAL TERRACE LINLITHGOW WEST  LOTHIAN EH49 6HQ FK10 3GE

 

Director: BOURNE, VICTOR HUGH  Appointed: 23/10/2006 British 

Date of Birth: 23/02/1948

55 NEWBATTLE ABBEY CRESCENT   DALKEITH   MIDLOTHIAN   EH22 3LN

 

Director: ROXBURGH, JUDITH  Apppointed: 23/10/2006 British 

Date of Birth: 21/06/1944

9 WYNYARD GREEN EAST KILBRIDE LANARKSHIRE   G75 8EW

 

Mr Walter Ballantyre not only dedicated his time and money into providing affordable accommodation to youths while giving them the opportunity to explore Scotland but most of all, he would be absolutely disgusted upon realizing that the Scottish Youth Hostel at 18  Eglinton Crescent  Edinburgh was being sold off to a development company, without obtaining permission from 30,000 members who have complete rights over any decision-making and who have the power to show the start of an unstoppable movement.  In fact, at this present time, there are many members who will not allow such injustice and abuse of power to continue.  They all are up in arms by the directors who have used such trickery and fraud by not fulfilling the aims of the non profit organization.  These same members have all submitted a refusal to accept being thrown out from the hostel and made to believe that they are powerless after they have all paid for their membership.  One member, in particular, has just paid for a membership only a week ago without being advised by the management that the youth hostel was being sold off to a development company and would not be able to use his membership at this hostel that has just been closed as from 31 October, 2006.  He is extremely upset and will contact as many authorities as possible if this hostel is sold off and converted into flats.  Even though he has been a member at this hostel for many years, he just recently renewed his membership on the 30 October, 2006 at 18 Eglinton Crescent Edinburgh and has remained totally unaware at the time he paid for his membership that he could no longer stay at the hostel the following day. He was forced to leave unwillingly. In fact, his money had been fraudulently taken under false pretences by misleading this member into believing that he had a continuing membership to stay at his favourite hostel. This opens up a new large inquiry into knowing how many more members have been mislead into paying their membership fee believing they could continue to reside at these hostels. In fact, there are over 30,000 members that have been deceived. In simple terms, a not for profit company running what is in effect a “club”, can not sell 30,000 memberships and then sell the “club” house so the members can no longer use the “club” house.

 

Our media group are doing a complete investigation into the SYHA and its directors and the way they are operating the SYHA.

The evidence seems clear that you are trying to sell the property to property developers who will make a substantial profit on millions of pounds by turning the building into 14 flats and your organisation has willingly handed this profit to them. One has to wonder the type of ‘kicked backs’ and ‘pay offs’ involved here. We are investigating further into all of this. Either way, the move has not been in the benefit of the SYHA, but rather the developers who are trying to purchase the building. If there was to be a management decision with members approval to allow this historical heritage building to be turned into flats, then in any event the multi millions in profits should be made by the not for profit Scottish Youth Hostel Association who’s aims are: to provide young people of limited means the opportunity of enjoying the Scottish countryside ( from statement displayed at the Eglinton Youth Hostel next to the photo of Walter Ballantyre as transcribed above)

 

The community and the members are completely shocked of the closure of this beautiful, historical, high ornate building which provides all the facilities and abundance of comfort, space and tranquillity to all its members and has been one of the main foundations of the SYHA in Scotland and is known all over the world as a friendly, affordable place to stay and learn about Scotland, while exploring all the heritage belonging to such a wonderful country.  The USA Weekly News will cut through all obstacles and with the aid of our legal and investigative team are prepared to take this serious situation to press by pushing for world wide media attention on our web site www.usaweeklynews.com especially if the directors of this non profit organization do not fulfil the duties and regulations as set out in the aims of the constitution of the Scottish Youth Hostels Association. The other important question that needs to be addressed is why was the Scottish Youth Hostels Association formed on the 23-10-06 when these properties held by the Association has been running for over 70 years. It seems unlikely that a company only formed about one week ago can be the registered owner of some seventy freehold hostels throughout Scotland with an annual income of around £6 million. The company has lodged no accounts with the company’s office and shows no nature of business and no previous names of business. It is obvious the directors and secretary have something to hide. The members and the general public have clearly been mislead upon realising that a new company has only just recently been formed on the 23-10-06, about one week ago, claiming to own over 70 freehold hostels throughout Scotland, with an annual turnover of over £6 million pounds that has no accounts, and no nature of business, or any previous business or operating names. This is simply too hard to believe. It appears that the original directors of the 70 year old Scottish Youth Hostels Association which owned over 70 freehold hostels in Scotland, have changed the name of the original company in an effort to try and change this into a private company, then used the original name Scottish Youth Hostels Association to form a new shelf company with no assets or income to form the new company with company number SC310841 on the 23-10-06.

Now the directors are intending to sell off valuable properties at the lowest price possible to friendly developers and use the cash from these sales to pay cash for new hostels to be registered in the new company and paying the same group of developers top price for these purpose built hostels giving the developers a large profit and in turn selling the prime properties cheap to these developers as well as these same directors receiving large secretly hidden payoff funds from the profits.

The USA Weekly News is looking forward to immediately hearing from the directors of the SYHA formed on the 23-10-06 as named above. You have the opportunity to express your point of view in order to pacify and assist in overcoming any misunderstandings to a great number of members of the SYHA who have contacted the USA Weekly News demanding immediate answers regarding their paid memberships before this entire matter goes to press.

 

A great many members have notified our media group that your company is a non profit organization and the use of the assets that are invested in the thirty thousand members world wide, in fact, requires the members’ permission before you can sell these buildings or any part of this building. You appear to have ignored all these members, not taking into account that they have the power to vote against these hostels from being sold against their permission.  It is clearly obvious that you are running this organisation for your own benefit, not for the benefit of the community and the members and are not following the charter and aims of the organisation that the founders set out to achieve. Most importantly, Mr Ballantyre dedicated his entire energy, time and money into donating these funds into keeping this hostel under the umbrella of a non profit organization.  You appear to be moving forward on your own agenda without initially obtaining any of the members’ permission and by using such trickery can be deemed as a pure case of fraud. Even after Mr Ballantyre passed away, this dedication has been enforced within the aims of the non profit constitution to continue to remain as a youth hostel to assist limited youths’ affordable accommodation while travelling throughout Scotland.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible for your comments

 

Yours sincerely

 

George Winthrop

For and on behalf  Media Group –
USA WEEKLY NEWS MEDIA GROUP/USA WEEKLY NEWS.COM

PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEW S MEDIA ORGANISATION

Cc: Mike Pringle MSP    The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP

Mike.pringle.msp@scottish.parliament.uk     www.mikepringlemsp.com

Member of Scottish Parliament

Urgent: Attention:
Joy Hapson Investigator for the Official Scottish Charities Registry

Tel: 01382 220446 Fax: 0138 2220314
email: info@oscr.org.uk; joy.hampson@oscr.org.uk

16-11-06

 

Lindsays WS, Solicitors
Caledonian Exchange
19A Canning Street
EdinburghEH3 8HE
(DX ED25)
(LP-102, Edinburgh 2)

Direct Line: 0131 656 5698
Direct E-Mail: kdg@lindsays.co.uk
Direct Fax: 0131 656 5574
www.lindsays.co.uk


 

Dear Sir

 

Our group of members stand by our accusations and will continuously publicly speak out against this wrongful behaviour by the management of the SYHA on behalf of all the members. If your clients actually believe that what they are doing is one of honesty and integrity and is the most moralistic measures to take by selling off valuable assets belonging to this charitable organization known as the SYHA, which has originally been set in place by the founder to provide affordable accommodation for youths of limited means to explore the countryside of Scotland, then they should consider their position carefully before giving all the development profits to outside investors for less than half the price offered by another not for profit organization which was prepared to continue to operate the Youth Hostels in the same way it has been running for years so that the members would be taken care of in the best possible way.  Your clients are confronted with a serious and legal problem if they do not continue to operate the Eglinton and Brunsfield Youth Hostels as the not for profit organization set out in the aims of the constitution.  In any case, as emphasized this not for profit group who not only offered to purchase the freehold building for twice the amount, but most of all, wanted to continue operating the hostel as a non profit organization as set in place by the original founder, with the main focus of operating the hostel for the benefit of members and other youths of limited means affordable accommodation while exploring the countryside of Scotland.

 

At present, your clients are confronted with a serious issue which clearly indicates that they are not following the proper intentions as set out in the aims of the not for profit organization.  Nevertheless, if your clients do not want to continuously be criticized on the world media, then they should immediately take out legal action to prevent any further publication and accusations made against them as individuals.  On the other hand, if your clients are reluctant to take legal action to prevent this from happening, then most of the members and public will believe such corruption and deception to be true. Your clients have been notified on a number of occasions and have been given plenty of warning that their wrongful approach was going to be exposed publicly and yet they have refused to discuss the matter to many distressed and dissatisfied members who have often stayed at the Eglinton and Brunsfield Youth Hostel, which provided affordable as well as plenty of space, abundance and comfort.  Also, your clients have already been warned many times, including a letter forwarded to the individual directors to their home address on or about 2 November, 2006 explaining all the ‘club’ members’ concern and indicating that as the not for profit organization has been formed specifically to assist these members, then they believe they have more rights than the directors to prevent this hostel from being sold off and turned into flats.

 

These same members have stated that the directors have decided not to continue to operate the Youth Hostel as affordable accommodation for youths of limited means. Instead, the directors have willingly decided to sell the building without the members’ approval. Again, they have emphatically stressed that they do not want the hostel to be turned into flats, and in return, depriving them from having affordable accommodation.  It appears rather strange that it has taken your clients more than two weeks from receiving these letters to instruct a solicitor to threaten legal action in relation to these allegations.  This hesitation and uncertainty in responding with a legal letter would indicate that they believed that these allegations against them were true, but because of their powerful connections in Scotland, they were confident they could succeed with this fraud.  As a result, they believed that such allegations over a period of time would eventually pass.  They were obviously confident that their powerful connections in the financial, legal and political arena in Scotland would somehow protect them.  Unfortunately, when it comes to deceiving ‘club’ members, who have more rights than your clients, in return, will sue your clients for not carrying out the aims as set out for the not for profit organization if the Youth Hostel is turned into flats.  These members emphasize that they have been robbed, cheated, betrayed, deceived and deprived from their rights. After careful consideration, it is advisable that your clients consider their position carefully.  The members are complaining about a numbers of issues which have been outlined in usaweeklynews.com under the web site:  Fraud Corruption and Asset Protection.co.uk/.com web sites.  The members will not allow or tolerate such deception and are taking great measures to prevent your clients from destroying the not for profit organization, particularly if your clients do not continue to operate the Eglinton and Brunsfield Youth Hostels as affordable accommodation for youths of limited means. They have stated that they will sue your clients substantially for deceiving and cheating them from their membership as well as depriving them from having their rights if the building is sold for profit and turned into flats.

 

If your clients deny any of these allegations and honestly believe that there is no defence to such defamation or allegations in any event, even though it is in the public interest to have these matters openly expressed and viewed in the public arena, then your clients should immediately take out an injunction to stop this information being publicly aired against the two web sites and obtain an immediate court order to have this information removed from these web sites as well as ask for substantial damages.

 

If this matter is taken to court and all documented evidence and research material is presented by numerous discontented members, who are extremely disappointed at your client’s intention, then the question that needs to be asked, are your clients prepared to be sued by many dissatisfied members especially if the original aims of the not for profit organization is not being carried out as set out by the constitution. In addition, these members are willing and able to take your clients to court along with the many documented allegations and well as follow the court proceedings and in the process, allow the judicial system decide the final outcome with regards to the integrity and aims of the not for profit organization.

 

In the meantime, your clients are on notice that if they proceed to transfer the two hostels known as Eglinton and the Brunsfield from the SYHA pursuant to the current sale price of under £2.5 million, then your clients will be accountable personally to the members for at least the difference between the sale price and the offer of about £5 million pounds per property that was offered as well as other substantial damages as a result of the members not being able to use the facilities for accommodation purposes. In any event, I have been informed that your clients have previously received this letter that has now been presented on the internet.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.  

 

Yours sincerely

 

David Williams

Kenny Gray <kdg@lindsays.co.uk> wrote:


> Dear Sir,
>
> We refer to your emails dated 11 and 14 November to our clients, Scottish
> Youth Hostels Association. We are instructed by the Association to
> respond to you on its behalf.
>
> As you may be aware, the Association has recently opened its new Edinburgh
> Central Hostel at the top of Leith Walk - a much larger and more modern
> hostel than the former Eglinton Hostel. As a consequence, the decision
> has been taken to close the Eglinton Hostel.
>
> We would advise that in taking these steps the office bearers are
> perfectly satisfied that they have acted entirely properly and have
> fulfilled all of their constitutional requirements and public duties.
> They strongly refute any suggestions to the contrary, and consider the
> accusations you make to be defamatory. For the record, we would caution
> you that legal action will be taken if you persist in making these these
> unfounded allegations or do so publicly.
>
> You will note that we have copied this communication to Joy Hampson at
> OSCR, and we can confirm that we are more than happy to discuss this
> matter further with Mrs Hampson should she wish to do so.
>
> Please note that this matter is now in our hands and that you should
> direct any future communications to us please and not to Scottish Youth
> Hostels Association.
>
> Yours faithfully
> Lindsays
>
Lindsays WS, Solicitors
Caledonian Exchange
19A Canning Street
EdinburghEH3 8HE
(DX ED25)
(LP-102, Edinburgh 2)

Direct Line: 0131 656 5698
Direct E-Mail: kdg@lindsays.co.uk
Direct Fax: 0131 656 5574
www.lindsays.co.uk

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