September 29, 2020 3.46 pm This story is over 41 months old

Three Lincoln restaurants owe £2.8m in unpaid taxes

They’re owned by the same people

By Local Democracy Reporter

Two people who run three Lincoln restaurants are on a government list of deliberate tax defaulters for unpaid tax worth up to £2.8 million.

Cafe Zoot and Tequila’s in the Bailgate, and the now closed Biresa (Pomodoro E Basilico) on Guildhall Street appear on the government’s list of deliberate tax defaulters, showing the number of fines and the amount of tax owed.

The list, updated on March 19, also shows the period of time in which the tax was due and avoided, meaning the published person or business may have either changed behaviour or left the business behind.

Cafe Zoot Limited owes £1,558,922.77 in tax between June 1 2010 and August 31 2018, with £1,340,673.55 worth of penalties issued to the company.

Tequila’s Limited has £405,986.78 of outstanding tax payments dating from April 1 2010 to September 30 2018, and £349,186.61 of fines.

Finally, the now closed Biresa, formerly Pomodoro E Basilico before changing to Cicchetti on Guildhall Street, owes £856,894.42 and has been fined £736,929.17 between April 1 2010 and July 31 2018.

All three establishments are linked to the same directors, Saied and Niloofar Bakhshalian of Sudbrooke, who are both listed as active directors for the restaurants.

The Lincolnite approached the directors for comment, but are yet to receive a reply.