Garvis Snook sends parting email to workers of collapsed workers

The former boss of failed firm Rok send a surreal email to employees telling them to “Keep on Roking” just as administrators began to lay off employees.

In a message obtained by the Plymouth Herald sent on Monday 8 November, the day Rok entered administration, Garvis Snook tells employees to “try not to see this as the end though but as a new beginning”. The email was sent two days before administrators announced they had made around 700 employees redundant

He said that he was one of the employees to be made redundant in the wave of lay-offs on Monday.

Garvis Snook’s email in full

Dear All,

Today is my last day at Rok. I have just been told that I, like many others, am now redundant.

I wanted though to thank you all for making Rok such a special place and one, that despite the way it is ending, we can still be proud of in so many ways.

In the coming weeks and months you will read and hear lots of rumour and conjecture as to why we went into administration. I would love to tell you what I think caused it but I would probably be sued and that’s a problem I could do without.

I am just so sorry that so many of you and others in our supply chain have to suffer due to something way beyond your or their ability to
control or influence.

Try not to see this as the end though but as a new beginning. We created something special and as somebody said to me today ’now is our chance to go and spread the things we learned into other businesses.’

I hope you do and that you will look back upon Rok with affection.

Thank you, each and every one, for making Rok such an exciting place and good luck in all you do in the future.

Keep on Roking!

Garvis