Bates faces legal dispute with Crossing

Bates UK faces legal action from Peter Crossing, the ex-chairman of its below-the-line agency 141 Blue Skies, who left two weeks ago.

Crossing is locked in an acrimonious dispute with Bates about the circumstances surrounding his exit, but is understood not to have issued legal proceedings. Bates UK chairman Hinton refuses to comment.

As Marketing Week went to press, Bates Communications creative services director Nick Burton was in the process of leaving the company, although Hinton denies that he has been made redundant.

It is thought that managing director Karl Shuster and creative director Chris Martin will follow Burton out of the door.

The latest defections leave Bates Communications with no board level members, and 141 with one board member.