Bling Bling Building, Signature, c Google Earth snapshot

Workspace at the Bling Bling Building was sold to investors. Credit: Google Earth

Signature’s Kenwright disqualified as director

18 August 2026 11:33 Dan Whelan Comments

Lawrence Kenwright has been banned from running companies until 2031 just weeks after the Serious Fraud Office dropped an investigation into the Liverpool property developer.

Signature Group’s founder has been handed a five-year director ban after investors lost £4.8m as part of a scheme that saw Kenwright’s co-working company sell desk space across three Liverpool developments – The Bling Bling Building on Hanover Street, Arthouse Hotel on Seel Street, and 60 Old Hall Street – the Insolvency Service said.

Investors would buy desk space from Signature Works Gold that would then be rented out to the public. Rents paid on the desks would generate returns for investors.

However, the company stopped paying investors in 2019 and the company was wound up in 2022.

The Insolvency Service said the company “distributed false and misleading marketing material” and that Kenwright had “failed to ensure adequate stewardship and corporate governance”.

The marketing material stated or implied that investors would gain a legal interest, registered at Land Registry, in the three properties, the IS said.

However, it was later discovered that Signature Works Gold did not own any registered freehold or leasehold interest in any of the three properties, which were in fact controlled by other Signature Group companies.

Kevin Read, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Lawrence Kenwright’s failures as a company director had serious consequences for investors, who suffered losses of more than £4.8m as a result of false and misleading marketing material.

“While Kenwright is not accused of direct fraud, his conduct nevertheless falls well below the standards we expect of company directors.”

Read added: “Directors have a responsibility to ensure investment information issued in their company’s name is accurate and can be relied upon.

“The Insolvency Service will continue to take action against directors who fail in those responsibilities, helping to maintain confidence in the UK’s business environment.”

Kenwright, who cannot be a director until 17 August 2031, was contacted for comment.

In February 2024, the Serious Fraud Office made four arrests as part of an investigation into Signature Group over an alleged £140m property fraud.

The SFO closed the case in July, stating: “Following a thorough review, we have concluded that the evidence in this prosecution no longer satisfies the Full Code Test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors in that there is no realistic prospect of conviction.

“This decision reflects our commitment to making timely judgements about where to focus our resources.  This concludes the SFO’s investigation into Signature Group.”