The liquidators appointed to oversee the winding up of the company behind The George Hotel in Yarmouth, which owes over £1million, are yet to comment on the situation.
Earlier this year, Companies House was looking to strike-off Solent Views Hotels Ltd, which owned and operated the classy Isle of Wight hotel, but that action was suspended on 11th February. Just days later, on 18th February, the company voluntarily appointed London-based Begbies Traynor as liquidators.
A published statement of affairs reveals that Solent View Hotels Ltd owes a total of £583,488 to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, made up of £350,537 in PAYE/NIC and £232,951 in VAT. A further £142,120 is owed to YouLend, £53,356 to British Gas, £6,068 to the Isle of Wight Council and £2,503 is owed to employees.
The company also owes £208,718 to Forresters Hall and £44,647 to Clapham & Fulham – both connected company loans. A J Spooner is owed £4,681 (Associated Party loan) and Felix Spooner £1,479 (Director’s Loan Account) – a staggering total of £1,044,560.
Readers may be getting a sense of déjà vu as it’s not the first time that The George has been in the news… In July 2023, Island Echo reported that Quay Street Ltd – trading as The George Hotel and Beach Club – had appointed liquidators, owing almost £1million to creditors.
The hotel was sold to Solent View Hotels Ltd, at the time run by 26-year-old Felix Spooner – the son of Quay Street Ltd’s Howard Spooner. But in October last year, Howard Spooner was appointed as the sole director of the new company on the same day that his son, Felix, was terminated as a director.
It is understood that Howard Spooner’s wife, Lucy, is now running the hotel under a new company name. Mr and Mrs Spooner are both connected to Howard House Hotels Ltd., which has a charge against it for The George Hotel.
Island Echo has asked both the liquidators and the hotel for comment, but no response has been received to date.
So it goes on, still if companies deal with this criminal family they deserve what they get.
So, they racked up another million quid in debts in 18 months ? How?
You couldn’t make this up !
The world is run by rogues thesedays!
Any more family members to pass it on to after the next set of shenanigans?
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”
Comes to mind!!!
Sounds a bit like Smokin’ Jacks, closed up owing shedloads of cash too I expect. Apparently still doing takeaways, don’t know how seeing as they are listed in companies house as being issued a compulsory strike off (Dissolved as a company) in Jan 2024, naughty naughty.
Round and round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.
This is a lovely example of how the elite make their money and live better than the rest of us. The fact that other people’s live are affected by the million pound debt (struck off, as a ‘company’ is not an imprisonable entity, and the owners are not personally liable for the company’s debts) shows how little they care.
Now, who is the worse offender do you think? This family, or the carpenter bloke on the other piece? Both have taken money from the unsuspecting. One many time over, one once. Which one got hauled into court and convicted, assets seized?
Did you know Howard Spooner was educated at Gordonstoun? Isn’t it a shame that in spite of the exorbitant fees they don’t seems to teach ethics. Also a shame they didn’t manage to teach him how to run businesses; he’s had 50 directorships and still apparently hasn’t had success. Or has he?