A husband and wife team once behind one of Belfast's top restaurants have been disqualified in the High Court in respect of their conduct as directors of a restaurant business..
Catherine Mary Regan (43) of Ross Mill Avenue, Belfast and Dermot John Regan (41) of Dungannon Road, Moy, Dungannon were both disqualified for eight years on 22 June 2017 in respect of their conduct as directors of Oregano Belfast Limited.
Oregano operated as a licenced restaurant, under the trade name of The Potted Hen, from Edward Street, Belfast and went into Liquidation on 25 April 2014 with those owed to unsecured creditors amounting to £408,653.
The Potted Hen opened in November 2010 by the Regans, who were also behind Oregano restuarant.
It was the first restaurant to open in the St Anne's Square complex.
In December 2013 it survived a dissident bomb set off just yards from the restaurant's front doors.
Its doors opened the next evening.
The matters of unfit conduct alleged by the Department for the Economy and accepted by the Court were:
- failing to deliver up all Company books and records to the joint liquidators;
- failing to promote the success of the Company in that company funds of £64,000 were diverted away from the Company and its creditors and instead were used for the benefit of their partnership business;
- causing and permitting the Company to operate a policy of discrimination against the Crown by retaining £332,194 that was properly payable to the Crown consisting of £7,254 in respect of PAYE for the tax year 2013/14, £92,848 in respect of NIC for the tax years 2012/13 and 2013/14 and £232,092 in respect of VAT for the tax years 2012/13 and 2013/14 during which time the Company was making significant payments to its trade creditors;
- failing in their duties as directors of the Company to file annual accounts for the years ended 30 September 2011 and 30 September 2012, within the prescribed period.
