CHERRIES co-owner Paul Baker insists an ongoing winding-up petition will not hinder his attempts to sell the club.

It was issued against AFC Bournemouth by Lees Lloyd Whitley Solicitors on behalf of PCA Events in March and was expected to be withdrawn yesterday.

PCA Events, which was believed to be petitioning for around £10,000, helped stage a poorly-attended Twenty20 cricket match at Dean Court in August.

Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, Baker confirmed the debt had been settled but did not wish to make any further comment on the matter until after he had consulted his lawyer.

A court official told the Daily Echo that yesterday’s hearing at Liverpool Combined Court Centre had been adjourned. It has been listed for Monday, July 13.

Despite the presence of the petition, Baker is confident he can reach agreement to sell the club and will this week continue talks with interested parties.

He told the Daily Echo last night: “Everybody who is interested in purchasing the club is aware of the financial position and, in terms of the time frame, it doesn’t affect anything.

“There was always going to be this lull between information being sent out and bids being received.

“People seem to think there is nothing happening but we’re all very busy dealing with issues surrounding the sale of the football club.

“We’re working very hard to get the club sold to the right person in the shortest time frame.

“Things are happening. We’ve got meetings scheduled for tomorrow and, by the end of the week, will see where we are.”

Baker confirmed he had still only received one firm bid but added that he was “expecting others”. He also said five of the seven interested parties had returned confidentially agreements.

Asked whether he had set a decision date, Baker replied: “We’re not going to set anything in stone. We’re giving this a lot of thought and it’s something we are reviewing on a daily basis.

“We need to have the scheduled meetings and then see where we are. We always thought it would take a certain period of time. We’ve got to have these meetings with potential purchasers and then see where we are.”

When contacted by the Daily Echo, solicitors Lees Lloyd Whitley said it was not their policy to discuss cases with people who were not party to the action.