Owain Charles Evans George, the Director of OMI Partnership Limited trading as The Albion, a pub in Clifton near Bristol, has been disqualified for three and a half years for trading to the detriment of HM Revenue and Customs.

The disqualification, from 28 February 2017, prevents Mr George from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company until August 2020. It follows an investigation by the Insolvency Service which found he had unfairly discriminated against HMRC by choosing to pay other trade creditors in advance of the company’s VAT owed to HMRC for a period between January 2014 and 13 February 2015.

OMI Partnership Limited was placed into Liquidation on 13 February 2015 with an estimated deficiency to creditors in excess of £627,825 and outstanding VAT bill totalling £180,567.

Mr George was a director from 9 November 2004 to liquidation.

Robert Clarke, Senior Investigator, said:

Company directors have a duty to ensure businesses meet their legal obligations, including paying taxes. Deliberate neglect of tax affairs is not a victimless action – it deprives public services of vital money and introduces unfair competition in the business market.

The Insolvency Service will investigate and take action against directors who do not comply with their obligations.

Mr George’s date of birth is September 1969 and it is believed he is currently of no fixed abode.

OMI Partnership Limited (CRO No. 05275045) was incorporated on 01 November 2004 and latterly traded as a public house from The Albion, Boyces Avenue, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4AA.

The Company went into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation on 13 February 2015 with an estimated deficiency of £627,825. A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7596 6187

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This hotly anticipated event could lead to £15 million in exports for British designers, the fashion industry is worth £28 billion to the UK economy.

The government is helping match UK fashion designers with international buyers to boost exports by up to £15 million, International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier said today, ahead of London Fashion Week.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is not only sponsoring this year’s event, but also investing into the ‘International Guest Programme’, where up and coming British designers are connected to some of the world’s most high profile and influential buyers from priority markets such as Australia, China and South Korea.

This trade-matching scheme is designed to raise awareness of UK brands to a global audience and enable designers to compete for sales to international markets and secure export wins.

International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier said:

From street style to haute couture, some of the most iconic brands and trendsetters in contemporary fashion hail from the UK – so it’s no surprise there is high demand for British heritage and luxury fashion.

The UK sits at the centre of the world’s fashion design talent and we are proud to be sponsoring such a prestigious event, showcasing the very best of British fashion designers.

Through this trade-matching programme we are giving UK designers a tailored fit with their counterparts abroad, with the scope to boost trade by millions of pounds.

Minister of State for Digital and Culture Matt Hancock said:

The UK’s creative industries are a tour de force, contributing £87 billion a year to our economy. British designers are now represented on catwalks all around the world, and our industry’s alumni reads like a roll call of the fashion world’s most talented stars, including Alexander McQueen, Thomas Burberry and Alice Temperley.

London Fashion Week is a tremendous celebration of the best of British fashion, and a reminder of the incredible pool of talent that we are committed to nurturing and supporting.

The UK has a worldwide reputation for its fashion design, and London has long established itself as a forward-leaning fashion capital, attracting investment from across the world. From Burberry to Victoria Beckham, big British brands are in high demand on and off the catwalk, making the fashion industry one of the UK’s biggest export successes.

In 2015, clothing exports alone racked up £6.1 billion – and if footwear and textiles were included, would reach almost £10 billion.

The fashion industry is worth £28 billion to the UK economy and the world renowned London Fashion Week brings a major boost to the sector, attracting an estimated £100 million worth of orders during each fashion week and offering the best in design talent from across the world.

The trends and innovations on the catwalk will cascade onto British and international high streets, creating a multi-billion pound industry and a further boost to UK fashion exports.

Notes to editors

• priority markets for the ‘International Guest Programme’ include: the USA, China, South Korea, Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Germany

• ‘International Guest Programme’ involves targeting international buyers and understanding their budgets and styles and matching them with appropriate British designers

• now in its 65th year, London Fashion Week will open its doors to more than 5,000 well-heeled guests keen to get a preview of the latest catwalk collections and designs

• the UK sits at the centre of the world’s fashion design talent with internationally-acclaimed designers and brands such as Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Burberry and Victoria Beckham all hailing from the UK

• the UK is a leading centre for the manufacturing of clothing and high-quality fabrics. Over half the designers showing at London Fashion Week make some of their collections in the UK

Further information