Businessman who bought Lunar Caravans out of administration to stand trial for alleged fraud

A businessman who bought Lunar Caravans out of administration is to stand trial for alleged fraud committed against Lunar workers’ pensions and the pensions of people employed by a social enterprise that he also owned.

At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 8 May 2024, Nicholas Marks (56, of Heath Rd, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire) pleaded not guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position in respect of employees at Lunar Automotive Ltd, and a further such count in respect of employees at Clarity Products, a social enterprise that employed blind and disabled people.

The case, which is being brought by The Pensions Regulator, will now go to trial, but not for another two years: Marks’s court date is set for 18 May 2026.

Lunar remains a popular name on the pre-owned scene for those thinking of buying a used caravan. As a result, it’s not surprising that Lunar regularly does well at our Owner Satisfaction Awards, as well as making it onto our best used caravan guide.

Marks bought the collapsed Lunar Caravans out of administration in August 2019 and renamed it Lunar Automotive.

However, Lunar Automotive was wound up in 2022 following a petition brought by Brian Mellor, one of the company’s creditors and the owner of the original Lunar Caravans.

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PeterBaber

Peter Baber is Reviews Editor of both Practical Motorhome and Practical Caravan. He has been reviewing motorhomes for the best part of a decade now. His first caravan reviews date back to the early 1990s when he first worked on Practical Caravan, before he embarked on a 20-year career in business journalism which saw him edit a wide variety of magazines, and launch a few too, including one that won an award. Although he enjoyed that, he always knew he wanted to come back. Peter reports on all the new models that make it to dealer forecourts each season, giving his judgement online and in magazine reviews. He has twice been shortlisted for a Caravan Writers Guild award. When he is not working, apart from going on motorhome trips himself (mostly local to where he lives in West Yorkshire, but also last year right across France) he likes trying to write novels, cooking, throwing the odd pot, and has just taken up tennis.