It all begs the question: how can the company possibly survive? Especially when Alito is being bought by the same director who said the company was effectively hobbled by a supplier backlash following its purchase of Lexicon three months after the latter bought the print arm of TPF out of administration.

As highlighted in news editor Simon Nias’s comment at the time of the collapse one month ago (bit.ly/pw-25nias), you would think that once-bitten suppliers, who have failed to hold true to the metaphor and act twice shy, would, now they are twice-bitten, understandably be mousier than ever.

Which must mean that David Collins has access to one (or more) of the following three things: bucketfuls of cash that he’s prepared to pump into the business, a similarly well-heeled white knight investor or an incredibly understanding bank. I’m not sure which of the scenarios is the least unlikely, but without one of these options I just can’t see how the new company has a long-term future.

Of course, the company will be a slimmed-down, debt-free operation, but it will still need to buy paper and to pay its staff. So what gives?

Right now, Collins is playing his cards close to his chest, so only time will tell, I guess. The only thing that is certain is that this roller coaster is going to rumble on for a while longer and the ride’s not going to get smoother any time soon.