Chefs routinely separate ingredients into different pots and so it is no surprise that self-styled "Yummy Brummie", Glyn Purnell, has made full use of limited liability companies to protect his personal wealth whilst serving up a crock of sh*t to his employees, suppliers, rich customers, and all the rest of us. The latter due to unpaid tax liabilities that pay for public services, school dinners, etc. All this is usually quite legal.
Incredibly, this "Celebrity" Chef is held out as some sort of "Ambassador" for our City which only goes to show how low our civic reputation has sunk. Read on and see if you still want to rim this guy ...
The Purnell Companies
The Brummie Gents Ltd - only set up in January, 2025 (after the second insolvency referred to below). Jointly owned with Philip Ko-Hing Innes (the "partner" in a new restaurant, Trillium - see also below).
Smoothie Operator Ltd - a joint venture with A. N. Other which was dissolved without ever filing any accounts.
Ginger Boy Ltd - insolvent. See below.
Little Sister Ltd - set up with a female (possibly his "little sister"?) Insolvent in 2022. The statement of affairs makes grim reading:
The drones (possibly including Purnell himself) who work long hours got shafted for a stonking £145,819.16 (£23,875.16 + £121,944.00). It is said that some young chefs aspire to work for "big" names like Purnell, but such wannabes should check out his accounts first! Maybe they are so highly paid they don't miss the losses when he goes bust - ROFLMAO.
The Bank only lost £17,316.39 when its charge proved to be floating on a sea of sh*t. Curiously "Directors" lost £60k but Purnell was the only one (and this also suggest that his personal losses, if any, were NOT included in the employees figure here - which would make the situation even more reprehensible in the eyes of most right-thinking people, and those not blinded by Purnell's slow cooked shoulder of lamb and other culinary wonders).
Trade creditors/suppliers were taken for an horrendous £131,213.52 and it is to be hoped that they all managed to handle their losses and did not go under themselves. It is noteworthy that this figure is LESS than the sum owed to trade creditors via Boo Boo Bars in the last accounts.
The Bank only lost £17,316.39 this time but the public again lost out when Purnell took the taxman for £51,086.57 (£49,400.51 + £1,686.06). Taken with the non-payment of taxes in the other insolvency that is getting on for £100k lost to the public purse. We think this is disgraceful. This guy should be a pariah rather than a hero in our once great City.
An absolutely astonishing 25% of working age people are on out-of-work benefits in bankrupt Labour Brum, and foodbank use is at record levels. Last Autumn when "Yummy" was preparing his new Company just before the other went under, he was charging "only" £110 plus 12.5% discretionary service charge for his "Autumn Taster Menu" plus £115 for the "wine flight". (This now seems very reasonable as Aktar Islam - Andy Street's biggest fan lol - is currently charging £185 for the Spring Taster and £165 for the plonk!) There are still plenty of folk around willing to pay crazy prices for a succession of minuscule morsels.
When Purnell's went bust we have seen that there were a number of folk who were stupid enough to pay "Yummy" in advance. No doubt some were hoping to celebrate there during the festive season. The accounts show that morons paid "Yummy" an astonishing £39,375.00 in advance for the ultimately worthless vouchers!
Liquidations these days are seldom sudden events. They are often pre-arranged and, as above, it is noteworthy that Purnell set up a new Company on 3rd October, 2004 just a few weeks before Ginger Boy's liquidator was appointed on 12th November, 2024. When did Purnell stop selling the vouchers? Did he continue to sell them in the vain hope of keeping the business afloat? In particular, did anyone buy vouchers between 3rd October, 2024 and 12th November, 2024? If you did please let us know via the email below.
Another question is when the lease on Cornwall Street was due to end?
We imagine "Yummy" has liquidisers in his kitchens but maybe he should have liquidators on hand too?
There is virtually no journalism being undertaken in this City these days and it is up to a few small independents like us to bring you the facts. The clickbait churnalists presented the sinking of Purnell's flagship as if Purnell was the loser whereas we have now shown you who he actually shafted.
Now the same pathetic lot are bigging-up "his" new restaurant, Trillium. It is billed as a "joint venture" with well-known local wine merchant, Phil Innes ("Mr Loki Wines"). We saw above that another new Purnell Company is jointly-owned with Innes and we assume that this will "operate" the restaurant. But that would seem to be the extent of "Yummy's" involvement since Innes himself is a Director of two new companies set up in May and apparently connected with the new venture. But the ownership is opaque. The sole shareholder of Trillium Restaurant (Birmingham) Limited (Director - Phil Innes) is actually Trillium Restaurants (Holdings) Limited where the sole Director is Innes again, but the sole shareholder is one Brian Dean.
Maybe the set up is for Purnell to simply run the kitchen whilst others look after the business. That might be sensible given his failure to date but will that satisfy his Rotunda-sized ego?
Trillium is due to open in September. We wonder if "vouchers" will be available ...
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