Oxford News
£100k taken out from liquidated Oxford restaurant’s accounts
Glut Ltd, which trades as Glut, was put into voluntary liquidation in January 2024 having been operating for around five years.
The George Street restaurant opened in 2019 and enjoyed much success early on, having climbed to the top of customer review website TripAdvisor’s restaurant charts within six weeks of opening.
But a notice that was put on Glut’s door suggested the landlords took control of the property and the lease had been forfeited with the premises “secured”.
Elliot Green, liquidator at insolvency and company closure specialist Oliver Elliot, was tasked with winding down the company.
Sami Mahfouz at Glut restaurant (Image: Andy Ffrench)
His latest report published recently has suggested a large, unexplained £100,000 reduction in the director’s loan account, and he still cannot identify the transactions that caused it.
This is now the central focus of the liquidator’s investigation, with help from solicitors, because it may indicate issues with payments to the director or connected parties.
Mr Green is now investigating whether payments involving “connected” people or companies were proper and fully explained.
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He said: “Investigations at the heart of this case involve the uncertainties concerning the accounting of connected party transactions.
“That position includes the reduction in the director’s loan account from £103,813 to £3,813 being a reduction during the year to December 31, 2021 of £100,000.
“I have to date been unable to discover the transactions responsible for the reduction which seems reasonably material.”
Transactions with connected parties are a red flag area in insolvency because they can be used to move value out of the company at the expense of creditors, or to favour some people over others.
Sami Mahfouz. the owner of Glut restaurant (Image: Andy Ffrench)
In the case of Glut, it’s still not know what has happened, hence the investigation being carried out.
Mr Green is getting legal assistance from a solicitor from Freeths LLP as part of his investigation.
He added: “My investigations appear to have been hampered by an absence of completed books, papers and records to fully explain the transactions flowing through the company’s bank account.
“There therefore appear to be a number of insufficiently explained, unevidenced and thereby unaccounted for transactions, revealed from review of the company’s accounting records relating to the connected parties.
“A material absence of underlying records, particularly to explain and evidence the same, does appear to me to have hampered these investigations.”
Since being appointed liquidator in January 2024, Mr Green has built up an estimated fee for his work of more than £15,000.
When Mr Mahfouz opened Glut, he told this newspaper about the “big investment” he made to bring the bar to the city centre.
The circumstances of Glut’s closure remains unknown.
Oxford News
Taylor Swift ‘books £3.3m Cotswolds cottage’ in Oxfordshire
The Cotswolds pad was used as a base during the UK stint on her Eras tour with the 36-year-old popstar enjoying a slice of the countryside.
Reports at the time stated that the stay was at a £3,250-a-night farmhouse just a stone’s throw away from celebrity-favourite hotspot Soho Farmhouse.
She’s believed to have rented the home for the entire duration of her UK and European leg of her mammoth Eras tour, which ended at Wembley Stadium in London on August 20, 2024.
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Her NFL player boyfriend Travis Kelce was said to be joining her during her stay, according to reports by The Sun at the time.
A source said: “Taylor has booked the cottage while she is over in the UK. She wants a place to unwind away from the tour, and the countryside is her happy place.
“Taylor loves dressing up in sequins on stage but is most at home in muddy boots in the fresh air.”
The idyllic countryside location has long been a favourite spot for celebrities including Kate Moss, the Beckhams, and Jeremy Clarkson.
This revelation came after claims she bought a North London home worth around £10m, according to further reports from The Sun.
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The reported new property allegedly once belonged to a politician and is understood to be undergoing “significant building works” to create a private estate for the US singer.
Ms Swift opened the UK leg of the Eras Tour in Edinburgh from Friday, June 7, to Sunday, June 9, last year and treated crowds at Murrayfield Stadium to hits from across her 11 studio albums for three hours.
Ellie Poulte, a 19-year-old from Oxford, was the first person to start queuing for the show, arriving at 6am on Thursday, June 6, with her tent, even though she had tickets for Saturday’s show.
Ms Swift took to the stage at Murrayfield Stadium, saying it was “the most highly attended stadium show in Scottish history”.
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The billionaire singer-songwriter made several costume changes each night with outfits including a blue and silver sequinned bodysuit, a long asymmetrical-hem orange dress and a lime-green flowing dress with cut-outs.
Ms Swift’s revamped setlist for the UK and European dates saw her cut several songs to showcase music from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.
This included But Daddy I Love Him, Down Bad, Fortnight, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, and I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.
US pop-punk band Paramore, consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro, warmed up for Ms Swift at Edinburgh and supported her across all the UK dates.
Oxford News
Oxfordshire drunk driver banned and has vehicle seized
Thames Valley Police’s Didcot and Wallingford Neighbourhood Police Team reported that they had stopped a driver in the past week who was uninsured and under the influence.
They said this in a wide-ranging update released today (Thursday, June 4).
A spokesperson said: “Breathalyser results showed the driver was four times over the legal alcohol limit.
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“We’ve since been updated that the courts have issued a three‑year driving ban and an eight‑week suspended sentence.”
This was not the only car the unit seized recently as they also confiscated a vehicle after they found it had no valid MOT.
A police officer in the Didcot and Wallingford Neighbourhood Police Team (Image: TVP)
The spokesperson said: “We initially intended to stop the driver and offer some advice, but further checks revealed they’d already been warned just a month ago for the same issue… and, to top it off, they didn’t hold a valid driving licence.”
Nor were cars the only vehicle the team were focused on over the past week.
They said: “We dealt with cyclists running red lights at a pedestrian crossing… directly in front of a marked police vehicle. A bold strategy
One of the cars that was seized by TVP (Image: TVP)
“Words of advice (and reminders of road law responsibilities) were given. Whether on four wheels, two wheels or two feet – the rules apply to everyone.”
Following an increase in discarded nitrous oxide (NOS) canisters, the PCSOs spoke with members of the public about the drug, including health risks and community impact.
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They also supported the search for a missing child.
“Thanks to quick reporting,” said the spokesperson, “fast‑time enquiries and coordinated searching, the child was located swiftly and safely”.
They added: “Early reporting really does make a difference, and we’re glad this one had a positive outcome.”
Oxford News
Anger as residents repair Roman byway ‘neglected’ by council
Cow Lane between East Hanney and Grove, south of School Road, is in a “terrible condition,” but locals claim Oxfordshire County Council’s highways department is refusing to take responsibility for repairs.
The council says its only duty is to maintain the surface for walkers and horse riders, despite frequent use by vehicles.
Andrew Wastie, a resident of the Causeway, said to Hanney News: “The section of road in question is marked in ‘red’ on the pic, and is a ‘byway’ leading to a restricted ‘byway.’
“This application for funding has not being made without exhausting all other avenues such as Highways, Fix my Street and the parish councils.
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“There is no legal obligation for Highways to maintain the byway beyond being fit for walkers or horses, despite its heavy use by cars, so it is up to the users to improve matters.”
Mr Wastie said residents have maintained the surface for years but many are now unable to help due to age or health.
He said: “We have a number of people who are suffering from serious ill health who use the byway.
“Some have for many years made significant contributions to our community, and now need our assistance to help them.”
Mr Wastie said Hanney villagers installed the private section of road in 1975, and have maintained Cow Lane ever since.
He said: “The work needed is simple and we have received a quote from a contractor for planing the surface, redistributing the material and using an eight tonne roller to flatten it.
“The quote is a very reasonable £750.
“Cow Lane is open to all in the village and all will benefit from its remedial works.”
Cow Lane also has historical significance.
Mr Wastie said: This section of Cow Lane is an old historic Roman road linking Abingdon to Grove.
“This feature in itself is a worthy cause for maintenance for historic Britain and for the bigger picture of assisting those in need today and beyond.”
He also made a request to parents and carers who park along the lane during school runs.
Mr Wastie said: “if you have to park on Cow Lane please do not park on the junction, blocking the footpath all of which are a traffic offence and to please park considerately.”
The fundraising has now made the required amount to fix the road.
In a statement Oxfordsire County Council said: “With a limited budget for Rights of Way maintenance along Oxfordshire’s 2,700-mile network, Oxfordshire County Council has to prioritise its finite resources into the areas where it is most needed.
“As a byway, Cow Lane is not maintained to the standards of the general road network.”
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