Company behind city bistro goes into liquidation

BUT EATERY IS STILL OPEN AND SERVING AS NORMAL

- WILLIAM TELFORD

A COMPANY which controlled Plymouth's award-winning The Chancel restaurant has gone into liquidation with huge debts including a £40,000 Covid loan which is unlikely to be paid.

The bar and bistro is, however, still trading and being run by the same couple under another company set up as a takeaway and event catering business.

The Chancel, in St Andrew Street, in the city centre, has been run by Jamie and Paula MacLeod-Johnstone since 2011 and is still trading and open daily.

But on November 30 the licensed restaurant company called The Chancel Ltd, of which they were both directors, appointed liquidators and was wound up voluntarily.

Documents filed at Companies House reveal it had no assets and it is estimated that debts of £270,455 will be unpaid. Of this sum, £200,000 is owed to Mr and Mrs MacLeod-Johnstone, the shareholders. But the company's statement of affairs also reveals that Starling Bank Ltd is claiming £40,000 for an unpaid Bounce Back Loan (BBL).