Ipswich Town avoids winding up order
The Championship club describe the order as a 'storm in a teacup' as it claims to have already paid its tax bill to HMRC
IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB has staved off a winding up order from HMRC after confirming that an agreement over its taxes has been reached with the government department.
The Championship team joins an ever-growing list of football clubs that have had recent dealings with HMRC.
This week Bolton Wanderers secured a welcome reprieve in its battle to survive an ongoing spat over a £2.2m tax bill to the taxman, while League One side Bury last week successfully settled a dispute over a £156,000 debt to HMRC through the High Court.
Neither Ipswich nor HMRC disclosed the size of the tax bill during and after the court hearing, but counsels from both sides confirmed that the debt had been paid in full.
“Their automated process accelerated this action, despite the agreement for payment being made in early January,” said Ian Milne, managing director of Ipswich Town.
“If they issue a court order, then the only way it can be dismissed is back in court, so it’s a storm in a teacup.”
A spokesman for HMRC said: “Our aim is to efficiently collect the debts due and to prevent things deteriorating further.
“We only initiate winding-up action where we believe this is the best way to protect both the interests of other taxpayers and creditors.”