Deposit for a Christmas Meal

[shakalakadoodah]

I have booked a meal at a local pub and paid a deposit of £60. Today I saw on facebook that they were having a leaving party tonight, so I have been trying to get in touch with no joy. I have done a bit of digging around for info and looks like the owners are in big financial trouble. DH intends to go there tomorrow to try and get our money back but legally where do we and others in the same position stand?

You will be one of a number of creditors scrambling to get paid. You may be able to contact your bank and ask them to reverse the transaction, but I don’t know enough about how that all works.

Maybe somebody else is taking over the business ?

If the pub is operated by a limited company and someone else buys the company they will have to honour your booking or, if they are unable to do so, refund your deposit. However, if a new owner buys the goodwill (i.e. the business) but does not buy the company they won't have to honour your booking or refund your deposit.

You will be an unsecured creditor so some way down the list to get paid. If they are going under, the owners should not pay anything to you until they have paid off the creditors higher up the list. If you get anything at all it may only be a fraction of the deposit you have paid.

If you paid by credit card your best option may well be to ask your credit card provider to return the deposit. They are jointly liable with the pub and, unlike the pub, will definitely have enough money to pay you.