Time support site is shut down

A website set up last week to act as a forum for ex-employees of Time and Tiny Computers, and as an unofficial helpdesk for customers of the company, closed down in mysterious circumstances on Monday afternoon.

A stark notice on the website, Tinycon.com, blames lawyers acting on behalf of the company's administrators, Grant Thornton, for the sudden shut down.

Matt Ashworth, who, until the demise of Time, worked in the company's sales office, said: "I got a call from the company lawyers who told us to take it down. They said they were acting for the administrators. I refused and the next thing I knew the site had been taken down - I assume it was the hosting company."

Tinycon.com was hosted by SiteHQ.

Martin Hoscik, director and co-owner of SiteHQ, confirmed on Tuesday morning that SiteHQ had taken the site offline but categorically denied that pressure from lawyers, or anyone connected with Granville Technology Group, had been a factor.

"I've had no contact from Granville, their lawyers, or their administrators," Hoscik told ZDNet UK.

Some of the comments posted to sites such as Tinycon.com since the collapse of Granville Technology Group by angry ex-employees and customers could potentially have been considered defamatory.

Following the landmark Godfrey vs Demon case of 1999, ISPs and hosting companies can be held liable for the content they host online.

Since its launch on Friday, Tinycon.com had rapidly become a focus for users and customers alike of Tiny and Time Computers and retail company The Computer Shop. By Sunday night the site had registered 180,000 hits and, according to Ashworth, it had spawned many threads from customers and employees alike.

Grant Thornton did not return calls requesting comment in time for this story.

Colin Barker writes for ZDNet UK