Potted Hen restaurant directors disqualified owing over £350,000

The owners of the Potted Hen in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast have been disqualified as directors after dissolving the business owing over £350,000 to creditors.

Catherine Mary Regan and Dermot John Regan, who operated the Potted Hen under the Oregano Belfast Limited company, were disqualified for eight years on 22 June.

The 72-cover French restaurant opened in November 2010 and went into Liquidation on 25 April 2014 owing £365,453.

In January 2015, the Regans were declared bankrupt, however the Potted Hen continued to trade until it was shut down in October.

According to the statement of affairs compiled by liquidators from PJG Recovery, Oregano Belfast owed £247,404 to HMRC for VAT, £94,105 for PAYE and £67,144 to other unsecured creditors including £13,021 to James Nicholson Wine Merchant; £8,198 to B D Foods; and £6,671 to McCormick's Fresh Food.

The court took the decision to disqualify the couple after they diverted £64,000 away from the company and its creditors and instead used it "for the benefit of their partnership business" alongside failing file annual accounts for the years ended 30 September 2011 and 30 September 2012, and not delivering all company books and records to the joint liquidators.

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