The Vampire’s Wife served winding up petition by HMRC
HMRC reportedly rejected the retailer’s request for a ‘Time To Pay’ arrangement, which would’ve allowed tax debt to be paid back in monthly instalments
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The Vampire’s Wife has been issued with a winding up petition from HMRC on Friday (30 June), according to filings from The Gazette, due to debt built up during the pandemic.
The company, which was founded by designer Susie Cave, has a hearing set to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice next month.
This comes as HMRC reportedly rejected the retailer’s request for a ‘Time To Pay’ arrangement, which would’ve allowed tax debt to be paid back in monthly instalments over an agreed time period.
According to the brand, it was issued with the petition without prior warning following a delayed payment earlier this year.
The Vampire’s Wife reported revenues of £5.1m in 2022, an increase of 38% from the prior year and expects sales for 2023 to reach £6.6m. The business sprung back from a loss of £2.1m in 2021 back to profit in 2022.
The retailer’s statement said: “Whilst a court hearing has been set for the 12 July 2023, we are working with the company’s secured lender to find a solution agreeable to all parties.
“The Vampire’s Wife will continue to trade and remain open at this time and we thank our friends and clients for their support.”
An HMRC spokesperson said: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we’ve exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers’ money.”
The Vampire’s Wife is stocked in Selfridges, Harrods, Flannels and Matches Fashion, as well as sells direct-to-consumer through its website.
