Cabaret performers chasing ‘hundreds of thousands in unpaid wages’ from Proud

Sinners, which its website described as an "immersive... late-night playground", is to open despite the voluntary liquidation of a number of previous Proud companies, including Proud Brighton Ltd and Proud Power Ltd, which dissolved in 2016 and 2019 respectively. 

Campaigners have questioned whether the closures and subsequent opening of Sinners amounted to phoenix trading – a practice by which businesses are closed and relaunched under new names, sometimes used to avoid the previous companies’ debts or liabilities. 

According to the petition, an internal document passed to campaigners by a source within the Proud operation identified £107,000 in unpaid performance fees owed to freelance artists. The figure allegedly does not include producers, technical crew, bar staff or suppliers, and it is feared the actual amount may be far higher. 

Likewise, Equity said it feared that the £14,000 alleged to be owed to its members may only be "the tip of the iceberg". 

The union has this week written to local councillors and MPs in areas including London and Brighton where the venues operate, urging decision-makers to urgently investigate whether "active phoenixing taking place in their boroughs is leaving workers unpaid". 

Proud Group has been contacted for comment.