A second company connected with York’s ambitious Roman Quarter has revealed the extent of its debts accrued in trying to develop the major attraction in the city centre.

Earlier today, the Press revealed that Rougier House Developments of Ogleforth House, York, has gone into liquidation concerning debts exceeding £5 million.

Now, a second entity, connected closely with the first, has also gone into liquidation, this time with debts topping £18 million, giving a total to date of around £24 million.

As previously reported, receivers were called in to Rougier Street Developments, which owned the site of the proposed development, last May. No further reports were published on the matter until yesterday, January 30.

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Documents submitted to Companies House say a General Meeting of the company took place on Wednesday, January 23 and it was agreed to wind the company up voluntarily. FFS Recovery of Milton Keynes was appointed liquidators.

A Statement of Affairs, dated January 9, says Rougier Street Development owned freehold property with a book value of £17 million and a loan of £10.5 million with Iken Loan Services of London.

Altogether, some 22 entities are listed as being owed £18.82 million.

York Press:

They include: City of York Council (Business Rates) £443,963; York consultancy Aspect 4 £26,520; Iken Loan Services of London £10.5million; Members of the York Syndicate £6,587,500, Northern Trains £769,842; O’Neill Associates £184, 699 and Royal Pilgrim Communications £42,360.

No details are yet given concerning any future distributions of any assets.

As previously reported, Rougier Street Developments is also based at Ogleforth House, with its sole directors also being Stephen James Ellis, 71, and 62-year-old John Howard Neal. The owners of this business are listed as Rougier Street Developments Holdings Ltd with 50-75 per cent of shares and voting rights and North Star (York) Investment Ltd as having the remainder.

Rougier House Developments, which the Press reported on earlier today, had creditors, who were owed £5.26 million.

Its liquidators report, dated January 26, also lists 19 entities who were owed a total of £5,281,506 between them.

They include City of York Council (Council Tax) £9,600; City of York Council (Business Rates) £51,800; Neal Investments £598,400; Octopus Real Estate of London £1,327,000; Rougier Street Developments £89,900; Together Commercial Finance of Cheshire £1,300,000 and the Leeds-based York Syndicate £900,000.

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In addition, Companies House also reports that Rougier Street Development Holdings Ltd, which owns most of Rougier Street Developments, is also based at Ogleforth House.

This company also has Stephen James Ellis and John Howard Neal as its only directors. Its ownership is listed as having North Star (York) Investment Ltd, with 25-50 per cent shares and voting rights and Neal Investments Ltd also having 25-50 per cent shares and voting rights, plus the right to appoint and remove directors.

Companies House also records that accounts for Rougier Street Development Holdings are overdue. The Registrar of Companies gave notice on November 28, 2023 that unless cause is shown to the contrary, the company will be struck off the register and dissolved not less than two months from that date.

In addition, FTS Recovery Limited is also dealing with the voluntary administration of Toft Green Developments, also of Ogleforth House.

As The Press reported earlier this week, it agreed to voluntary wind up the company on January 19. A Statement of Affairs has revealed debts of £3.65 million.

This firm owned the Fibbers site and had gained planning approval from City of York Council to build a new music venue and offices there.

Mr Neal is listed as one of two directors of Toft Green Developments. It is 25-50 per cent owned by North Star (York) Investments and 25-50 per cent owned by Neal Investments Ltd, the latter of which entered administration last August.