A husband-and-wife team who ran a business that offered surprise singing waiters for weddings has been banned from running companies for eight years. This decision follows serious financial misconduct after the couple continued to take customer payments despite knowing their business was in deep financial trouble.
What Was the Business?
Frederick Reeves (also known as Jamie Reeves), 49, and his wife Claire Reeves, 41, from Wigan, ran a company called Solfan1 Limited, which traded under the name The Best Singing Waiters. The company offered a fun service where performers would pretend to be waiters at weddings and then suddenly start singing as a surprise for the guests.
How Did Things Go Wrong?
The company was facing major financial problems in early 2024. In February, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issued a winding-up petition over more than £200,000 in unpaid tax. By March, the couple had already agreed to place the company into liquidation.
Despite this, from late March until 1 May 2024, when the company officially went into liquidation, the couple continued accepting deposits and full payments from new customers.
According to investigations, 43 customers made payments totalling £43,590 during this time—money that was never going to result in the service being delivered, as the company was already collapsing.
Liquidation Details
When Solfan1 Limited went into liquidation, it had liabilities of over £700,000 and assets worth just £168,000. This left dozens of couples heartbroken, many of whom had fully paid for singing waiter performances at their weddings—services that were never going to be provided.
Some were even offered discounts to pay the full amount upfront, making the loss even harder to bear for the affected customers.
Director Disqualification
Although only Claire Reeves was officially listed as a company director, her husband Frederick Reeves admitted acting as a director in practice. Both have now been disqualified from acting as company directors for eight years, starting 28 May 2025, following action by the Insolvency Service.
They are now legally banned from forming, managing or promoting any company in the UK unless they receive court approval.
Official Statements
Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
“Couples were left heartbroken after finding out the singing waiters they had paid to perform at their weddings would not show up. The serious misconduct shown by Frederick and Claire Reeves falls well short of what we expect from directors, which is why they have been disqualified.”
The Insolvency Service’s investigation shows how important it is to report suspicious business behaviour. The couple’s decision to continue accepting payments even after knowing the business was failing was labelled as unacceptable and dishonest.
Company Background
- Solfan1 Limited was incorporated in November 2015
- Claire Reeves became director in April 2018
- Frederick Reeves, though not officially listed, acted as a director
- Business address: Dickens Place, Wigan
- Company number: 09874560
This case is a strong reminder that running a business comes with legal responsibilities, especially when dealing with customers’ money. Frederick and Claire Reeves knowingly accepted payments from couples who trusted them to deliver an important part of their big day, even when their company was already sinking in debt.
The eight-year ban reflects the seriousness of their actions and aims to prevent similar misconduct in the future. Customers are urged to stay informed and always check the financial standing of service providers, especially when paying in advance.
