FIRMS which are owed money by the failed company behind the fit out of Colchester’s Curzon cinema are due to meet administrators in person, the Gazette understands.

Ispace Corporate Interiors went into administration in August with total debts of £2.1 million.

Some firms say they have had to lay off staff after not being paid as much as £144,000.

A meeting was set to take place yesterday but the Gazette understands it did not go ahead and an in-person meeting is scheduled for later this month.

Meanwhile Matthew Diver, the man behind Ispace Corporate Interiors, which was was appointed to fit out the Queen Street venue, has launched a new company.

Mr Diver is the sole director of Everything Interiors Ltd, which was registered on Companies House on Sunday.

Although Ispace Corporate Interiors is in administration, Mr Diver is still listed as an active director of Ispace FM Ltd, Ispace PM Ltd and Apples and Chairs Ltd.

Each firm is registered to a property in High Street, Wivenhoe - the same address as was listed for Ispace Corporate Interiors before administration.

Its address is now listed as administrator Parker Andrews’ Norwich base.

It is not illegal for a director to set up a new company while still dealing with the administration of another.

Two documents are set to be published by Companies House in the coming days; one which will set out the administrator’s proposals with relation to Ispace Corporate Interiors, and, secondly, a statement of affairs, which gives an overview of the company’s assets and liabilities.

Matthew Diver was contacted for comment but is yet to issue a response.