THE DIRECTOR of a brewing company and tap room in Ulverston appointed a liquidator to wind up the company three weeks before liquidating a company that operated five pubs in Cumbria.

Kirsty Ridge, the sole director of Lakeland Brewhouse Limited on Lightburn Industrial Estate, appointed liquidator Leonard Curtis on February 28, before doing the same three weeks later, to Lakeland Inns Group, with who she shared directorship 75 per cent/25 percent) with Callum O'Hare on March 20.

Lakeland Brewhouse converted their units in Ulverston into a tap room, open for the public, less than a year ago, in July 2022, after investing around £250,000 in kitting out the brewery in 2021.

The company subsequently encountered objections from residents after opening and was forced to apply for a retrospective change-of-use license, which was withdrawn in September 2022.

According to the company's Statement of Affairs on Companies House, Lakeland Brewhouse is winding up owing £248,218.42 to creditors – Lakeland Inns Group is listed as being owed £60,000 by the connected company, while Inno Hospitality Collective, another company with Kirsty Ridge as director, is listed as being owed £12,000.

Three employees are listed as being owed £7,427.56 by Lakeland Brewhouse, and 13 employees are shown to be owed £50,418.22 by Lakeland Inns Group.

READ MORE: Cumbrian pub group enters liquidation after racking up debts of £873,000

Lakeland Inns Group is winding up with total debts of £873,000 – meaning the two companies are liquidating leaving debts of over £1.1million, with almost £58,000 being owed to employees of the two companies.

Creditors also include a number of Cumbrian businesses.

The group operated The Black Cock Inn in Broughton, The Sun Inn in Ulverston, Clarke's Hotel in Rampside, The Royal Oak in Curthwaite, and The Commodore Inn in Grange.

Inno Hospitality Collective is a group that owns three pubs in the north west – The Tavern at Hale, near Milnthorpe, The Tennants Arms, at Kilnsey, in Wharfedale, and The White Mare, at Beckermet, north of Sellafield.

Kirsty Ridge had owned 80 per cent of Inno Hospitality Collective, with ten percent owned by Callum O'Hare and 10 per cent by Charlotte Hargan, who had also been operations manager of Lakeland Inns Group.

A Companies House statement dated May 24 confirmed 30 per cent of Kirsty Ridge's shares were signed over to Callum O’Hare, while 10 per cent were signed over to Charlotte Hargan,

Kirsty Ridge and Leonard Curtis have been approached for comment.