In a dramatic fall from grace that reads like a corporate thriller, a prominent energy tycoon has made a swift exit from his multi-million-pound Surrey mansion after his oil firm spectacularly imploded under a crushing weight of debt.
Andrew Perchard, the director of APEC Energy, has vanished from his opulent £6 million country home in Cobham, leaving behind a trail of furious creditors and a company in ruins. The firm, which specialised in supplying fuel to the construction and transport industries, has been plunged into administration with debts soaring into the millions.
A Company in Crisis
The first signs of serious trouble emerged when key suppliers, including industry giant Certas Energy, began filing claims at the High Court to recover hundreds of thousands of pounds in unpaid bills. The financial haemorrhage was too great, and APEC Energy was officially placed into administration this summer.
Documents reveal a bleak picture of the company's finances. It collapsed with a staggering deficit of over £3.5 million, with unsecured creditors alone owed more than £2.8 million. Among those left out of pocket are HM Revenue & Customs and a long list of aggrieved trade suppliers.
The Abandoned Estate
The focal point of this scandal is Perchard's former residence: a breathtaking, modern mansion set within two acres of meticulously landscaped gardens in one of Surrey's most exclusive neighbourhoods. The property, complete with a swimming pool and a separate annexe, now stands as an empty monument to the firm's collapsed ambitions.
Neighbours report that the property has been vacant for months, with the Perchard family departing abruptly. 'They left quite suddenly. It's all been very quiet over there for a long time,' one local commented.
A Trail of Debt and Questions
Administrators from Begbies Traynor are now tasked with untangling the web of debt and recovering funds for creditors. Their report confirms the scale of the disaster, noting that the company's dire financial state meant it was impossible to continue trading.
This case sends a ripple through the UK's energy sector, highlighting the volatility and high-risk nature of the industry. It serves as a stark warning about the potential for rapid downfall, even for established players.
The whereabouts of Andrew Perchard remain unknown, as the hunt for answers—and repayment—continues.
