Christopher Paul Taylor was the director and owner of Taylor Signs & Laser Craft Ltd.

The company began trading in July 2019.

On 4 June 2020 he applied for a taxpayer-backed BBL of £30,000 and declared that the company’s estimated annual turnover was £120,000.

However, the Insolvency Service report into his conduct stated that bank statement analysis showed that in the period from 4 January to 3 June 2020 the firm had sales of £20,845 and even if the highest sales month was annualised the 12 month figure would be just under £74,754.

Under the BBL scheme, businesses could apply for a loan of between £2,000 and £50,000 subject to a maximum of up to 25% of turnover.

The Insolvency Service said Taylor knew or ought to have known that he made a wrongful declaration by overestimating the firm’s turnover.

As a result, Taylor Signs & Laser Craft received £11,311.53 more BBL funds than it was entitled to.

Taylor has been disqualified for nine years, with his ban effective from 1 July 2024.

Taylor Signs & Laser Craft went into liquidation on 25 May 2022 with an estimated total deficiency of £39,340 of which £28,700 related to the BBL taken out via Santander.

Taylor’s month of birth is May 1989 and his last known address was in Paignton, Devon.

According to Companies House Taylor was also a director of Christa Prints (SW) Ltd, which was dissolved via voluntary strike-off in September 2020.

Editor’s note: Taylor Signs based in Honiton is entirely unconnected to Taylor Signs & Laser Craft Ltd.