Businessman and councillor abuses Nation.Cymru when asked about connection with crashed energy company

Martin Shipton

A criminal turned businessman and councillor resorted to abuse and insults when asked by Nation.Cymru about his association with an energy company that has gone into administration.

We contacted Nick Pritchard following the crash of Consumer Energy Solutions (CES). He is a shareholder in Dragon 2023 Topco Ltd, which owns CES.

The firm crashed earlier this month following the UK Government’s decision to end funding for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), a scheme administered by Ofgem that began in 2013 and has run in several phases ever since.

Its purpose was to improve energy efficiency in the homes of people in fuel poverty by requiring medium and large energy suppliers to fund upgrades such as insulation or heating improvements. These measures were designed to make homes cheaper to heat and reduce energy use.

A National Audit Office report published in October 2025 uncovered serious failings in ECO and the linked Great British Insulation Scheme.

It found that many of the home “improvements” funded by ECO were carried out to a poor standard, with external wall insulation in particular flagged as a major problem.

Responding to a question from Plaid Cymru Arfon MS Sian Gwenllian about the crash of CES, Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans told the Senedd: “Clearly, this will be a really concerning and worrying time for the almost 300 staff who have been made redundant by Consumer Energy Solutions … We have put steps in place already to support them in finding alternative employment or retraining opportunities.

“We are also really aware of all of the quality issues that have been drawn to our attention. Actually, there was an audit in 2025, and the audit of solid wall insulation works carried out through the ECO scheme highlighted extremely high levels of poor workmanship. The UK Government did take some immediate action. They suspended some of the worst performing installers and offered every household a survey of their property to identify any issues that needed rectifying. Installers are required to carry out that work at their own cost.

“We don’t have details at the moment of the level of complaints or remediation works associated with CES, but given the size of the activity under ECO, we do expect that there will be outstanding complaints. We have heard some examples, and many of us will have read about those examples also in the press. We know that there are cases where the work has not been resolved. We have raised specific cases with the UK Government and with Ofgem, and we are waiting for confirmation now of the scale involved and any proactive communications that are being undertaken with those households.”

Mr Pritchard owns Bangor City FC and became a co-opted member of Bangor City Council last autumn.

In 2010 he was jailed for three and a half years after being convicted of allowing premises he owned to be used as the largest cannabis farm ever discovered in the UK. found properties for drug growing, was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Money laundering

He was also convicted of money laundering by letting or converting buildings to be used as factories.

We asked Mr Pritchard to comment on his links with CES.

He responded by referring to Nation.Cymru as Clown.Cymru, adding: “You have made up a story from lies you found on line once again. This is completely false information.

“Consumer energy solutions from what I can gather went into liquidation from lack of support from Welsh Government after the UK government cancelled ECO4 with no warning.

“I feel for everyone involved and affected, especially those that have lost their jobs and people left mid install.

“I’ve offered support from several industry leaders, including the EEA, insurance companies, and install companies to help customers to Liz Saville Robert’s of Plaid Cymru whom has failed to take up any of the support to date.

“Again this is a very pointless story and no idea what it has to do with me when all failings are due to lack of government intervention and lack of support.”

Offensive

Mr Pritchard also posted an offensive message on Facebook referring to Nation.Cymru and the blogger Jac o’the North, who has published articles about the crash of CES.

Mr Pritchard wrote: “Retaining shares after selling a company is not illegal 2,235,000 preference shares, 200,000 A2 ordinary shares and 12.350,000 deferred held in a group of 7 companies equates to approximately 2% of the group prob 0.2% of CES overall you clown, it’s Something called an earn out. If you had 2% in Starbucks and someone had a crap coffee it’s not the shareholders fault you tool. How can you people fabricate and lie and not have repercussions.

“The group has never been involved with any national audit survey or any fraud and you can’t imply that without facts… referring to it in your blog is false and misleading. None of this info is a secret and it’s all on Companies House. Apart from the bits made up from a very bad novel.

“I’m going to make it simple. Yes, my company funded Consumer Energy Solutions for many years, like it did with 150 other companies. A group turning over millions, doing amazing things across the whole of the United Kingdom.

“I had no involvement in the running or management at all in CES.

“My company was a funding agent, like many others — i.e. banks, funding agents, utility companies — funding thousands of companies. They can’t be blamed for anything bad that happens within them. Not unless you have a rat of a blogger after you who likes to make stories up and remind people I went to jail 15 years ago, a bit like a few other clowns with fake profiles.

“Consumer Energy Solutions and hundreds of other companies going into liquidation was caused by government policy and schemes ending with no warning or notice a month ago. It was sold 2 FKIN YEARS AGO. Crystal balls are not real and nobody knows what government will do from one day to the next these days. So to blame anyone for this Gov needs to look a little closer to home when looking for photo opportunities & blame.

“The government pulled the plug on ECO4, forcing Consumer Energy and hundreds of companies nationwide into administration.

“This cost hundreds of jobs in CES . Obviously, it was mid-install on hundreds of jobs and some of these customers were left in the lurch.

“My heart goes out to all who lost their jobs — some amazing people who worked their hearts out for the current and previous owners. My heart also goes out to the customers affected.

“When I sold my company [Wryl Ltd, which had a controlling interest in CES] 2 YEARS AGO — YES, 2 YEARS AGO — I wouldn’t say it was’“take the money and run,’ FFS.

“Fuck me, I’ll get blamed for Barings Bank by these fkin idiots.

“Anyway!!! When it sold, many of the companies I funded and invested in decided to sell at the same time. Some didn’t.

“Consumer was one of these, along with several others.

“Some say the timing was perfect, some would say I’m a very good businessman… I’ll leave that to you lot — don’t be cruel. What ever happened after the sale date is totally out of my control. Again you tool.”

Questions

Through his solicitor, Celine Jones of Capital Law of Cardiff, we asked Mr Pritchard some further questions.

Ms Jones responded: “This email only deals with factual queries which my client elects to address for transparency:

“Any company sale will be reflected on companies house.

“The National Audit Office report does not in any way make any references to CES let alone it having committed fraud.”