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Bentley's Seafood Restaurant - Where did they go wrong?

Pearldan Ltd, trading as Bentley's, went into voluntary liquidation on 8th December 2002. A lot of suppliers lost a great deal of money. The Statutory and General Information section of the 'Liquidators Notice to all Known Creditors' at least casts some light on the matter.

Mr Dewilde, the general manager was appointed as a director in March 2000. At that point Dewilde "..assumed full control of the company's management, he started to implement his own ideas believing that this would lead to an increase in turnover and profitability."

Records show that Dewilde set about implementing a refurbishment of the basement at a cost of £200,000, decorating the restaurant and buying new table ornaments for £20,000 and putting in place a new head chef Mr Charlie Rushden [sic].

The report states that "Mr Dewilde spent very little time at the restaurant and the business started to be run from the kitchen rather than from the 'front of house'. This coincided with recruitment of a new head chef, Mr Rushden [sic], who was a Marco Pierre White acolyte and who set about changing the menu to the extent that signature dishes no longer featured in the menu at all."

It goes on to say "The former employees...were verbally abused and treated in a disgraceful manner by the head chef and Mr Dewilde...certain key suppliers had been continually 'messed around' by the former managers, ie Mr Dewilde and Mr Rushden [sic]"

The whereabouts of Mr Dewilde are unknown. Charlie Rushton is working on other projects.