FIBBERS music venue boss Tim Hornsby owed the council more than £20,000 when he was declared bankrupt, it has been revealed.

Financial documents obtained from City of York Council show that, between November 1 and November 27 2001, Mr Hornsby ran up debts of £20,951.39 to the authority.

Mr Hornsby had set up a website and a ticketing line in an effort to make booking tickets for shows at the Barbican easier.

The council said he owed them £22,467.99, including VAT and legal fees, for 18 separate debts regarding ticket line sales.

But, hitting back, Mr Hornsby said it was he who was owed up to £17,000 by the Barbican for work the Fibbers group had done to promote York's main venue.

Mr Hornsby was declared bankrupt on August 28, 2002, and a council report reveals that "we have been advised by the administrator that there was no prospect of a dividend to unsecured creditors".

Fibbers was closed for a period while Mr Hornsby was suffering financial difficulties. It has since reopened and is owned by bar chain Barfly. Mr Hornsby is still at Fibbers.

A council spokeswoman refused to comment, saying: "We are unable to discuss confidential information."

Mr Hornsby said he had spent £17,000 setting up the website and ticket line for the Barbican, for which he said he had still not been paid.

The decision to write off the debt was made by councillors last night.

Mr Hornsby said he was prepared to write off his claims, if members were minded to dismiss his debt.

Updated: 10:44 Tuesday, April 27, 2004