'I've actually been done': Renfrew woman furious after 5pm collapse

Cheryl Lochhead, a 60-year-old Renfrew resident, purchased a voucher last week for a ‘£28 two-course meal for two’ at the Grange Manor Hotel near Falkirk.

After the hotel told her they were no longer accepting vouchers from 5pm - which was rebranded as Kooble in 2023 - Cheryl tried in vain to get an explanation.

“I’ve contacted Kooble by e-mail, twice, and I’ve had no reply,” she said. “I emailed them with my voucher code, and they’ve not had the decency to get back to me.

“There’s no phone number, you can’t talk to them. That’s the problem with these sites, you can’t actually talk to anyone on the phone.

“They’re just ignoring everything.”

Although 5pm Ltd officially went into administration on August 2, Cheryl says she only heard about the collapse online.

“I only found out about it when I saw a post on Facebook,” she said. “They should be getting in touch with people, but they’re not going to do that. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“I’m sure there’s many others in the same position who are very angry about it, and probably people that have paid more than me.

“What are the chances of me getting my £28 back?”

Cheryl said the experience had left her “very angry,” and that she would not be buying vouchers in the future.

“I’ll not be buying vouchers from any other company because I don’t trust them now,” she said. “It’s put me right off.

“They’ve screwed me and plenty of others. I’m really very angry about it. But there’s not a lot I can do about it if they don’t get back to me.

“It’s really bad. It’s pathetic. I’ve actually been done.”

Cheryl says she has not been able to contact 5pm (Image: Supplied) After being established in 1999 by Ronnie Somerville and David Maguire, 5pm went on to become a great Glaswegian success story.

It was rebranded as Kooble in 2023, and relaunched as a platform co-owned by hospitality operators.

Notice appeared on the Kooble website on August 2 saying that accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had been appointed as administrators of 5pm Ltd.

The company’s collapse has led to the loss of 27 jobs, and there are fears that many consumers will not be able to recoup their losses.

Founder David Maguire, who has not been involved in running 5pm since last year, told The Times that “it would not surprise me if the sums of money that consumers will lose will be in excess of £1 million.”

Joint administrator Donald McNaught of Johnston Carmichael said to The Times that “5pm Ltd has unfortunately been placed into administration following challenges with cashflow that could not be overcome.

“This has resulted in the loss of 27 jobs. Administrators are now seeking interest in the company’s remaining business and assets, and we invite any parties interested to get in touch as quickly as possible.”

The administrators have been approached for further comment.