The Herald: Scandal-hit Ballet West Scotland to close

24 August 2020

The sheriff at Oban Sheriff Court has approved the appointment of a provisional liquidator to Ballet West Ltd as the business was “no longer financially viable”, a statement from the board of trustees has revealed.

The move formally starts the process of winding up Ballet West Ltd, which will mean the closure of the school at Taynuilt, Argyll, the trustees said

The announcement came five days after formal Police Scotland probe was announced after they received “a number of reports” in connection with claims of sexual impropriety at Ballet West Scotland in Argyll.

On Tuesday, Police Scotland had said there was no police investigation because there no complaints or reports had been made, six days after allegations of sexual impropriety surfaced which led to the resignation of the Ballet West Scotland’s vice principal Jonathan Barton and the suspension of its principal, his mother Gillian Barton.

An ITV investigation heard last week from more than 60 women – former students, staff and parents – who have made allegations of Mr Barton’s inappropriate behaviour going back as far as 2004 and as recently as 2018. The allegations include sexual contact with his students.

It is alleged that as further 30 have spoken out about alleged misconduct.

Mr Barton, a 38-year-old award winning dancer and teacher quit after being accused of abusing his position to sleep with teenage pupils at the £9,000 a year boarding school his family runs.

The latest governors’ statement said: “Due to events over the last two weeks, Ballet West Ltd, a registered Scottish charity, has been driven to the point of insolvency and the trustees had a legal duty to inform the charity regulator and take appropriate action in these circumstances.

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