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UK pub agency plunges into liquidation – £1.5m money owed

The corporate has gone into liquidation after accruing money owed of greater than £1.5 million.

The Bottle and Glass Inn in Binfield Heath, Oxfordshire (Picture: TripAdvisor)

An organization that ran two common pubs in Oxfordshire has entered liquidation, leaving money owed of over £1.5 million. Regardless of this, each venues stay open however beneath new possession. Sergeant and Holliday Pub Co Restricted, which ran The Bottle & Glass Inn in Binfield Heath space and Hart Avenue Tavern in Henley-on-Thames, went into collectors’ voluntary liquidation in Might 2025, in line with a discover on The London Gazette, the UK’s official public report since 1665.

Begbies Traynor was appointed because the liquidator to supervise the method. Paperwork submitted to collectors reveal that the corporate’s liabilities exceeded £1.5 million, together with greater than £1 million owed to HMRC, about £54,000 in unpaid enterprise charges to South Oxfordshire District Council, in addition to sums resulting from banks, suppliers, and contractors, the Henley Commonplace reported. The liquidators had been tasked with realising any belongings and distributing funds to collectors.

Though the corporate plunged into liquidation, each pubs proceed to commerce. In 2025, native businessman Matthew Munson reportedly acquired the freeholds and has saved the venues working beneath their authentic names.

Alex Sergeant and David Holliday, who based the Hart Avenue Tavern in 2019 and took over the Bottle & Glass Inn in 2017, defined that the money owed largely gathered through the COVID-19 pandemic, which pressured each pubs to shut for a number of months. Regardless of their efforts to maintain the companies afloat, the financial pressures proved insurmountable.

Mr Sergeant beforehand advised the Henley Commonplace: “The companies battled laborious by covid to outlive however gathered debt. We labored tirelessly to attempt to commerce out of it however the actuality is the financial state of affairs over the previous couple of years has meant that, in the end, the companies had been unable to maintain up with repayments.”

He added: “With out the debt we accrued by covid and primarily based on our forecasts, we felt strongly that each companies would thrive, notably with the wonderful help we now have garnered locally over the previous half decade, and we felt strongly dedicated to our workers. So, we had been relieved when the websites had been rescued. We hope the communities help for these beloved venues will stay robust as ever as they transfer ahead.”

Mr Munson mentioned he was approached by the companions at the beginning of 2025. He advised the information outlet that beneath his possession workers have been retained and the venues have seen improved income, notably from weddings, company occasions, and personal capabilities.

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The Bottle & Glass Inn, previously operated by Brakspear and renovated by the Phillimore Property, had a £250,000 inside refurbishment beneath Sergeant and Holliday. The ‘food-orientated’ nation pub has lengthy been a favorite for native residents and guests with its stunning thatched roof and scrumptious meals. It has gained a number of awards, together with a 2018 itemizing within the Michelin Information.

A barn was developed 100 years from the Bottle & Glass Inn to accommodate socially distanced eating through the pandemic. It hosts breakfast, brunch, lunch and drinks each Saturday and Sunday in addition to weddings and personal occasions. The venue additionally gives three snug rooms for in a single day stays.

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Hart Avenue Tavern is positioned within the coronary heart of Henley-on-Thames and serves up to date British delicacies utilizing regionally sourced components. The venue gives versatile eating experiences, from espresso and pastries to full dinners in the principle eating space or backyard.

Company can get pleasure from a curated wine record, craft cocktails, and seasonal menus. Hart Avenue Tavern additionally hosts non-public occasions in a separate eating space, with out of doors seating out there when the climate permits, and infrequently options stay music performances.

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