Unicorn restaurant directors given more time to file

Directors of the firm that operated Dublin's Unicorn restaurant are in contempt of court because they have not filed outstanding accounts with the Companies Registration Office, an official liquidator has told the High Court.

John Kennedy, for Myles Kirby, liquidator of Vino Classico Ltd, said directors Pia Bang Stokes and Georgio Casari had not complied with orders of September 2013 requiring them file the firm's annual returns for the years 2010 to 2012.

Last May, the court gave the directors an additional four months to comply.

Mr Kennedy told Mr Justice Paul Gilligan today the directors have still not filed the accounts. While the reason for that may well be because the directors have fallen out, their ongoing failure was not acceptable and Mr Kirby took the view they were in contempt of court, counsel said.

Mr Casari, the Priory, Rathfarnham, Dublin was not in court, but a solicitor appearing on his behalf said he was doing everything he possibly could to file the accounts and comply with the court orders.

Ms Bang Stokes, The Mill House, Kilternan, Co Dublin, who represented herself, said she had not been contacted by Mr Casari but had received some accounting details prepared by him.

She was not happy with the information as it had not been audited, she said.

Mr Justice Gilligan said he would adjourn the matter to later this month to give the directors more time to file the accounts. It was in their own interests to co-operate with each other as both must comply with the orders, the judge said.

The Unicorn continues to trade under a different company.