Eye-watering sum scandal-hit Gino D’Acampo’s restaurant empire owed when it plunged into administration revealed
GINO D’Acampo’s restaurant empire owed £7million when it plunged into administration, The Sun can reveal.
The scandal-hit TV chef’s chain of eateries was saved from the brink of closure last month in a £5million buyout.
Controlling company Upmarket Leisure owed £5.3million to HMRC and almost £2million to creditors.
Among them were food suppliers owed almost £500,000, a wine dealer due £302,000 and a pasta company expecting £4,809.
A statement of affairs shows Upmarket only has £117,000 in cash at the bank and £320,000 in other assets to try to cover its debts.
It lists D’Acampo, 48, as a ten per cent shareholder of the business, which ran five venues across London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester.
HMRC had issued a petition to wind up Upmarket at the High Court and administrators were appointed after a previous sale fell through.
Staff were warned about a delay in wages being paid.
But the jobs of all 400 employees were saved when the company was bought out in May.
Last year, the Italian was unable to pay staff and the taxman after his My Pasta Bar chain wound up with around £5million losses.
It comes after D’Acampo was accused of years of sexually inappropriate behaviour, which he denies.
ITV has vowed to stop using him.