The Pool website has gone offline almost two months after staff were told the women’s lifestyle publication would go into administration.
The closure has meant former staff and freelance writers are only able to find their articles through an archived copy of the site.
Writer Rebecca Schiller tweeted that it was “sad to see an empty hole where all those brilliant women put their work”, adding: “I miss reading it all, I miss writing for it and gawd I miss having it as part of my portfolio.”
The Pool company director Dominic Hill told staff on 31 January that The Pool would go into administration as the publisher was “insolvent and we have exhausted all rescue ideas/plans”.
But, The Pool (UK) Ltd has still not filed for administration, according to Companies House, with both staff and freelances saying they are still owed money.
The Pool’s editor, Cate Sevilla, has described the on-going situation and website closure as “upsetting” and “confusing” in a post on social media.
She tweeted: “Really cool how The Pool manages to be upsetting people even today – there’s weird, confusing stuff going on with staff trying to get paid where even the people who are meant to be in charge don’t know what’s going on + copyright issues now the site is down.
“Misinformation coupled with weird communication channels and we’re all just so collectively done and wanting our money and to move the feck on.”
A crowdfund for staff and freelances owed money by The Pool, which was set up on 1 February and has raised more than £31,000, has started paying people.
In an update earlier this month, fund creator Julia Kingsford said 68 people who originally registered for money were being paid amounts between £45 and £2,467 “based on a fair percentage of what they are owed”.
The fund still appears to be taking donations.
Picture: The Pool website
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