Two nightclub owners have been banned from running businesses for four years after their company collapsed owing the city council thousands of pounds.

Eastern Daily Press: The Peris ran Mercy nightclub on Prince of Wales Road. Picture: SIMON FINLAYThe Peris ran Mercy nightclub on Prince of Wales Road. Picture: SIMON FINLAY

Dawn and Steve Peri owned Prince of Wales Road night clubs Mercy, Lace and Rocco's bar through a firm called Project Zeus Ltd.

But when the firm collapsed in 2016 it had not fully paid business rates to the city council for two years and owed it £211,000.

The council reached a deal with the firm over paying the debt and the Insolvency Service also pursued the case, discovering evidence of misconduct.

They banned Mrs Peri, 55, and Mr Peri, 61, from being directors of any company for four years.

The agency said the couple, of Prince of Wales Road, allowed Project Zeus to be "traded to the detriment of Norwich City Council".

They found that between 2015 and its liquidation in 2016, £3.9m was paid into Project Zeus' bank account, but only £111,000 went to the council in business rates, leaving a large shortfall.

Investigators also discovered Project Zeus was the latest in a line of family-controlled businesses which traded before being wound-up owing the council almost £400,000.

Three other companies called Garganey Limited, Jaxim Ltd and Olive Sun Limited were used to run the clubs before Project Zeus was set up, but they too were placed into liquidation, in 2013 and 2014.

Garagney Limited owed more than £1m to creditors including £75,000 to the city council.

The council was also owed £194,000 from Olive Sun Limited when it collapsed.

Robert Sheils, senior investigator, said: "These four-year disqualifications send a clear message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.

"The Insolvency Service will clamp down on those directors found to be responsible and levy appropriate periods of disqualification".

The council declined to comment. The Peris have been contacted for comment.

After Project Zeus folded in 2016 the management of the clubs was taken over by a new firm called Code Red Promotions which the Peris also owned.

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