Mystery brewing as Fifi and Ally cafe closes and founder quits as director

THE owners of coffee shop chain Beanscene and the Fifi and Ally eateries were tight-lipped last night after the firm closed one of its Glasgow outlets.

The Fifi and Ally shop on the city's Wellington Street was shut down after it emerged that one of the company's founders, Alison Fielding, had resigned as a director last year.

Last night the firm refused to comment on the closure or director changes lodged at Companies House. The company has also changed its headquarters from 50 Wellington Street, the address of the closed shop, to Cahill Jack Associates, an accountancy firm in Airdrie. In February, Fifi and Ally changed its name to ESB Scotland.

The business was set up by Fielding and her cousin Fiona Hamilton in 2005 with an ambition to offer "the most desirable fashion, food and lifestyle products". Although Fielding owned 25 per cent of the firm, she resigned as a director in October although notification at Companies House was only filed as of Tuesday.

In September 2008, Hamilton acquired the Beanscene chain of coffee shops out of administration for 850,000. She discussed major plans to expand the 12-strong chain with the help of unnamed investors. One Beanscene opened in Kilmacolm last month.

According to Fifi and Ally's last accounts, in the 18 months just before the acquisition of Beanscene, the firm made a pre-tax loss of 248,000 on turnover of 1.8m.

Following the name change last month, Brian Johnston, the former head of corporate Scotland for HBOS, resigned as a non-executive director of the firm. Hamilton is now sole director of ESB and Fifi and Ally Baby.

Accounts for Fifi and Ally Baby, which is understood to be the company managing the Beanscene assets, are late in being filed with Companies House.