Friday 18 June 2010

Shameful Restaurateurs

The former owners of the The Lobster Pot restaurant in Strangford, County Down, have been banned from acting as company directors. The restaurant collapsed in 2008, owing its creditors an utterly disgraceful £1,241,950. Bad lending by bankers? A Department of Enterprise probe found it had been trading while insolvent for more than three years.

Plunkett Caldwell, 58, of Banns Meadow Downpatrick accepted a six year ban. Elizabeth Caldwell, 36, of the same address, accepted a five year ban.

The Lobster Pot was one of the most successful restaurants in County Down throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The Caldwells bought the business, which operates from the Square in Strangford, in 2003. The company went into liquidation in September 2008.

The Department of Enterprise investigation found that, as well as knowingly trading while insolvent, the Caldwells failed to file accounts and misused an Ulster Bank account by bouncing a total of 164 cheques in two years.

The Lobster Pot is still open and is being run by Botanic Inns on behalf of creditors.

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

I loved the lobster pot when I lived in NI, part of the Portaferry Trainors but from Belfast. Botanic Inns are a great set up, delighted to hear they're stepping into the breach.

Irishlad said...

yes agreed LB,the lobster pot holds very may fond memories.

Timothy Belmont said...

It's probably inconceivable now, however, if the LP could be reinstated to its previous state and the old magic of the 70s and 80s resurrected - the character - with similar carpeting, decor, layout and style of 80s menu, that would satisfy me.