The company which ran the Meat House restaurant in Dundee has been wound-up with debts of over £400,000 — with almost £70,000 of this owed to employees.
The Perth Road restaurant closed suddenly at the end of January with staff claiming they had not been paid for at least a month’s work.
The owner, Candice Hickey, claimed at the time she was hopeful of selling the restaurant “in a matter of weeks” but it has now come to light that the business has failed to pay a number of suppliers, staff, and HMRC.
It is believed many staff members are due upwards of 250 hours in wages with the Summary State of Affairs revealing a shocking £69,974 is owed to employees.
The liquidation papers also reveal £33,557 has not been paid to the building’s landlord, £77,235 is owed to suppliers and £119,799 is due to the taxman.
Many local Dundee businesses are owed cash with fruit and vegetable wholesalers Les Turriff owed almost £7,000 and butchers Yorkes of Dundee left just under £16,000 out of pocket.
Additional debts total £43,886 with the total deficiency adding up to £410,441 after previously recorded losses of £64,992 are added.
Companies House shows Candice Hickey’s husband Darren Hickey was disqualified from acting as a company director in November last year after failing to pay more than £120,000 in tax while a director of Blantyre-based business Fair Developments Limited.
After attempting to contact the owners on numerous occasions, The Courier visited the couple’s home to ask if staff and other debts would be paid.
Mr Hickey said “staff will be paid” but then declined to comment further when pressed.
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said he was shocked to hear about the amount of debt accrued.
“I am concerned to hear the extent of the debt,” he said.
“It’s very significant. I’m not sure how this much debt can be allowed to accumulate.
“I am concerned particularly for the staff involved who I believe have not been paid for many hours that they have worked.
“Both staff and suppliers have ended up out of pocket.”
The popular restaurant opened five years ago and specialised in locally sourced Scottish beef and seafood.
It was known for hosting “Man v Food” eating challenges, based on the television show of the same name.
