The firm behind a Broughty Ferry pub has been liquidated following the company director’s drink-driving conviction.
Hawkes Taverns, which was owned by Michele Buckley, was liquidated earlier this month.
It follows Buckley, 62, appearing at Dundee Sheriff Court in December where she admitted driving her BMW 3 series car into a parked car while almost four times the legal limit.
Her company owned and operated The Barn in Campfield Square, where Buckley’s Christmas time bash took place.
Hawkes Taverns was also trading at a loss at the time of liquidation, prompting the company to enter liquidation.
All five employees were made redundant when the bar ceased trading in January.
Hawkes Taverns and The Barn liquidated
Henderson Loggie was appointed as liquidator on February 14. The accountancy firm and insolvency practitioners are helping staff with the process, including entitlement claims.
Increasing costs, including suppliers, wages and utilities resulted in difficult trading conditions, the firm said. This caused the company to run at a loss, ahead of being closed down in January.
And the premises license for the bar, which remains closed, has been transferred to Redwood Pubs Ltd. This took place on January 31 this year.
Hawkes Taverns was incorporated in September 2017 by Michele Buckley.
The Barn pub has existed in Campfield Square since the 1970s.
Drink-driving crash
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Buckley, of Hilton of Balmuir, Strathmartine, performed a “botched” three-point turn in the busy carpark outside The Barn on December 10.
She struck the back of a parked Volkswagen Polo at the rear of the pub at around 9.50pm.
Prosecutor Lana Norrie said: “The (driver of the Polo) experienced a thud to his vehicle.
“He turned and realised his vehicle had been collided with by the accused’s vehicle.
“The witness immediately followed the accused in her vehicle as she exited the car park.
“The witness contacted the police.”
Around five minutes later, Buckley carried out a three-point turn and crashed into a lamppost before driving back towards Strathmore Street.
The other driver again called the police and said he believed Buckley was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Officers found Buckley in the vehicle in the Campfield Square car park, where she was noted to be visibly drunk, smelling of alcohol and slurring her words.
After being taken to police headquarters on West Bell Street, Buckley provided a reading of 80 mics of alcohol in 100 mils of breath.
She was disqualified for 12 months and fined £465.
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