Three days ago Crow explained that the useless Labour Council which bankrupted the UK's Third City, Birmingham, and was finally kicked out in May, had destroyed vital infrastructure in one of Brum's suburbs to enrich their cronies. The hapless reds had closed a road leading directly off the High Street in Kings Heath, but despite allowing local business to expand onto the street under licence, they had clearly not collected proper payments and was not enforcing the law against their pals.
They were also charging pathetically low rents for companies to rent the road for markets and events. Whilst most UK markets are run by Council's themselves or via contracts with private operators, someone called Pip Bradley (who is also involved in the Kings Heath Community Centre scandal - more anon) has, incredibly, set up a "Community Interest Company" (CIC) to operate markets. A CIC is supposed to be a sort of company which uses profits to fulfil its supposed social enterprises, but which is not a full charity and so not susceptible to charity law. Companies House has accepted that Bradley's outfit is somehow for the public good. The downside of not being a full charity is that a CIC has to pay UK Corporation Tax on profits (like a normal business). That's tax that the local leftists want to grab for lots of "free things", and for the never-to-end subsidy on The Albatross Line etc. In the last accounts Bradley's Birmingham Artisan Markets CIC paid just £1,102 in Corporation Tax* which isn't going to pay much for lots of free stuff!
Following the publication of the blog, Crow was contacted by a well-known local figure who alleged that not only was Labour favouring Bradley's company, but was also REDUCING the already pathetically low rent to it as it was supposed to be a "social enterprise". Crow duly wrote to Bradley as follows:
THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY
I have put up a blog post today which mentions your Company (link below).
From figures supplied by Bham City Council (BCC) it appeared that companies like yours were only paying around £163.80 for licences to operate markets on York Road.
I have received an allegation that, in fact, your "non-profit" CIC is the beneficiary of a hidden subsidy from the taxpayer in that BCC bizarrely charges you only around £54.60 per licence. Is this true?
Turning to your latest accounts (y/e 30/06/25) you state that BAM has no employees.Yet "administrative expenses" are claimed in the sum of £37,956 which, of course, has the effect of greatly reducing your Corporation Tax liability.
For "administrative expenses" expenses should I read "pay" for one or more individuals? Please clarify this item?
I am away for two days and so it would be helpful if you could reply by, say, noon on Friday at the latest.
https://crowmultimedia.blogspot.com/2026/09/birmingham-labours-crony-socialism-york.html
Bradley has not replied. She has said nothing on the licence fees nor on how much she is extracting from the "social enterprise". Let's hope some of the councillors in the latest Council circus will start looking into the fees actually being charged and try and collect a, er, market rent. Given their first shambolic months in power, I wouldn't hold your breath ...
Bradley has been heavily involved in the Community Centre grab where, curiously, the new organisation wants to operate "markets". She has been held out as some sort of business guru, and she clearly knows how to make a few bob for herself via the current "system". But she does also run a normal capitalist, "for profit" Limited Company, Pip's Hot Sauce Limited.
Again Crow wrote to Bradley:
THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY
Further to my earlier email on a different subject I note that Companies House publicly states that Ms Bradley has failed to file the annual accounts for her above Company.
The accounts were due on 31st July, 2026. I am aware that Companies House occasionally makes mistakes but can you confirm if the accounts have now been filed and, if so, when?
Alas, no comment again. At least she will have to pay a minimum £150 fine, although if the Council doesn't now act to protect taxpayers, she can easily recover that from stallholders in just three markets! Socialism in action - kerching!
* Bradley should also be paying income tax on the dosh she takes out of the business.
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