---
title: "HMRC serve Winding-Up Petition on Gino D’Acampo Restaurants"
url: https://windinguppetitionsolicitors.co.uk/hmrc-serve-up-winding-up-petition-to-gino-dacampo-restaurant-group/
date: 2025-05-05
modified: 2026-06-02
author: "Winding-up Petition Lawyer"
description: "On 11 March 2025, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) presented winding-up petition CR-2025-001657 against Upmarket Leisure Ltd (Company No. 13017028) which is the operator of five Gino D'Acampo-branded restaurants, over..."
categories:
  - "Uncategorized"
image: https://windinguppetitionsolicitors.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Gino-dCampo-Winding-up-Petition-Solicitors-London-Law-HMRC-Tax-e1746457379479-1024x616.jpeg
word_count: 611
---

# HMRC serve Winding-Up Petition on Gino D’Acampo Restaurants

On 11 March 2025, HM Revenue & Customs [(HMRC) presented winding-up petition](https://lexlaw.co.uk/practice-areas/winding-up-petitions-solicitors-london/hmrc-petition-winding-up/#:~:text=A%20HMRC%20winding%20up%20petition,your%20business%20and%20have%20an) CR-2025-001657 against Upmarket Leisure Ltd ([Company No. 13017028](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13017028)) which is the operator of five [Gino D'Acampo](https://ginodacampo.com/)-branded restaurants, over unpaid tax liabilities. The High Court petition is due to non-payment of taxes owed to HMRC and follows financial struggles exacerbated by £5.8m in creditor debts reported in the 2023 accounts.

The petition was [advertised in the London Gazette](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4868555) on 16 April 2025 which means the Company's [bank accounts were likely frozen](https://lexlaw.co.uk/solicitors-london/account-freezing-order-guide/) from that date. The petition was due to be heard on 30 April 2025 at the High Court, Royal Courts of Justice, 7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1NL however on 29 April 2025 a notice of appointment of an administrator was filed in Manchester (CR-2025-MAN-000630) putting an [end to the HMRC winding-up petition](https://taxdisputes.co.uk/hmrc-winding-up-petitions/) via this alternative insolvency event.

**Update: 5 May 2025 – Upmarket Leisure Sold in £5m Pre-Pack Deal**
The hospitality group behind Gino D'Acampo’s restaurants, Upmarket Leisure Ltd, has been acquired in a pre-pack administration sale for £5m, preserving all 400 jobs. Administrators confirmed HMRC’s winding-up petition filed in March 2025 prompted the insolvency process, with the buyer’s identity remaining undisclosed. Restaurants face sector-wide pressures, including rising operational costs and shifting consumer habits, as contributing factors. Meanwhile, a separate £5.4m debt investigation reportedly continues into another D'Acampo-linked entity, IRG (OLD) WWR Ltd, focusing on missing financial records and stakeholder conduct.

## Unpaid Tax - HMRC Petition

- **Debt Context**: [Upmarket Leisure’s 2023 filings](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13017028/filing-history) revealed nearly £5.8m owed to creditors, with HMRC emerging as a key claimant.

- **Corporate Structure**: D'Acampo resigned as director in 2021, and the firm rebranded from *Gino D'Acampo Hotels and Leisure* in 2023.

- **Ultimate Controller:** Well-known businessman [Peter Alan Cowgill](https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cowgill-804172b/?originalSubdomain=uk) (former JD Sports executive chairman and Cowgill Holloway's eponymous Senior Accountant).

- **Operational Challenges**: Rising labour costs, supply chain inflation, and reduced footfall post-pandemic have strained profitability.

- **D'Acampo Controversy: **International hotel group Meliá, has at least four UK restaurants linked with Italian TV personality D’Acampo, was [reportedly ](https://www.mca-insight.com/restaurants/gino-dacampo-hotel-partner-taking-claims-very-seriously/700880.article)“closely monitoring” media reported allegations against him and taking them ver seriously.

## Key Legal Implications

A winding-up petition signals severe financial distress, allowing creditors to seek compulsory liquidation if debts remain unresolved. In this case, Upmarket Leisure’s administration and subsequent pre-pack sale mitigated total collapse, though unsecured creditors face uncertain recoveries and are likely to remain unpaid.

A [HMRC winding-up petition](https://windinguppetitionsolicitors.co.uk/set-aside-hmrc-winding-up-petition-statutory-demand-lawyer-advice/) order indicates a company’s inability to settle normal tax debts. The legal action initiates compulsory liquidation proceedings, where the court assesses insolvency and may issue a winding-up order. Key stages include:

- **Petition filing**: Creditors (often HMRC, as seen here) submit a WUP after a 21-day statutory demand period.

- **Gazette advertisement**: After seven days, the petition is publicly listed, freezing bank accounts and halting trading.

- **Court hearing**: A judge evaluates solvency; if confirmed, a winding-up order appoints an Official Receiver to liquidate assets.

In Upmarket Leisure’s case, the pre-pack administration allowed a swift asset sale to a buyer before formal insolvency, preserving jobs but prioritising secured creditors. However, unsecured creditors-such as suppliers, contractors, and sometimes [HMRC](https://windinguppetitionsolicitors.co.uk/useful-hmrc-contact-details-insolvency-notifications/) face minimal recovery prospects, as proceeds from asset sales are allocated first to secured debts. This reflects a common industry trend where pre-packs rescue operational continuity but leave unsecured parties bearing losses.

## Broader Group Troubles

The petition coincides with a liquidators’ probe into IRG (OLD) WWR Ltd (formerly Gino D'Acampo Worldwide Restaurants), which collapsed in 2023 with £5.4m debt. Investigators are scrutinising missing documents and undisclosed liabilities to D'Acampo, who retained a 10% stake. The hospitality industry continues to grapple with post-pandemic recovery, with 2023 seeing 1,641 UK restaurant closures. Upmarket Leisure’s case underscores the vulnerability of celebrity-backed ventures to macroeconomic shifts.

## FAQ: Understanding Key Legal Concepts