Five-year ban for restaurant director

Cumbrian-based company boss, John Alexander Wormall, whose companies operated the Paulo Gianni group of restaurants and bars in Kendal, Barrow, Stainton and Cartmel, has been disqualified from acting as a company director for five years, following an investigation by The Insolvency Service’s Company Investigations team in Manchester.

Mr Wormall has given an undertaking to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) barring him from acting as a company director, and from managing or in any way controlling a company, from 5 October 2012 to 4 October 2017.

Mr Wormall was the director of PGK Leisure Limited (PGK), PGSI Leisure Limited (PGSI) and PGC Leisure Limited (PGC), which all went into liquidation on 23 October 2009. He was also a director of PG5 Leisure Limited (PG5), which went into liquidation on 10 November 2009.

PGK was the operating company of Paulo Gianni in Stramongate, Kendal, from December 2006 to September 2009 and at liquidation had liabilities of at least £288,806 and assets of £22,325 only.

PGSI was the operating company of The Stagger Inn, Long Lane, Stainton with Adgarley, Barrow in Furness, from December 2006 to September 2009, and at liquidation it had liabilities of at least £187,268 and assets of £3,528.

PGC was the operating company of Paulo Gianni at The Uplands Hotel, Haggs Lane, Cartmel, from September 2008 to September 2009, and at liquidation it had liabilities of at least £47,143 and assets of £573 only.

PG5 was the operating company of Paulo Gianni in Cavendish Street, Barrow in Furness, from August 2008 to September 2009, and at liquidation it had liabilities of at least £150,272 and assets of £752 only.

Claire Entwistle, Director of Company Investigations North at The Insolvency Service, says that the Insolvency Service deals robustly with directors who unfairly gain advantage over competitors and harm their creditors, by using unacceptable financial practices:

“The protection of limited liability is available to those who comply with their obligations as company directors. If those obligations are ignored, the protection will be withdrawn.”