Royal family’s crockery supplier taken to court over unpaid bill
Thomas Goode was founded in 1827 and provided the dinner service at Princess Diana’s wedding to the then Prince of Wales – Steve Tulley/Alamy Stock Photo
A supplier of fine china and silverware to the Royal family has been hit by a winding-up petition from HMRC.
Thomas Goode, which was founded in 1827 and is backed by Sir Elton John, has been taken to court by HMRC over an outstanding tax bill.
Winding up petitions are taken as a measure of last resort by creditors to recover unpaid debts. It is the first step towards compulsory liquidation, although the petition can be withdrawn if a company is able to pay off its debts.
A spokesman for HMRC said: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we’ve exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers’ money.”
The Royal Warrant holder’s teapots sell for as much as £2,243 each – Thomas Goode
Thomas Goode, which supplied the dinner service for the wedding of the then Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, is understood to be working to settle the outstanding bill within the coming days.
A spokesman for the company said: “We are presently in the final stages of a refinancing of the business and remain confident of our ability to meet all our obligations.”
They added that Thomas Goode would “then continue with our overseas expansion plans”, saying: “It’s certainly true that we have had a difficult few years, but with this fresh investment we look forward to celebrating our bi-centennial in 2027 and beyond.”
Thomas Goode has held a Royal Warrant under both HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH the former Prince of Wales. Its teapots sell for as much as £2,243 each and soup tureens for £1,395.
Sir Elton, who has a net worth of £450m according to the Sunday Times Rich List, has been a collector of the company’s china since 1990 and became an investor in 2019. He is understood to hold a 5pc stake in Thomas Goode.
Thomas Goode investor Sir Elton John said he ‘would cry’ if the company ever shut down – REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
The singer said in 2019: “There’s no shop like this in the world. It’s an institution that I would cry if it ever shut down. I just love it. I’m so excited about being involved in the future of it.”
According to its latest available accounts, Thomas Goode owed creditors around £5m at the end of March 2022 in amounts due to be paid within one year. Its largest shareholder is property entrepreneur Johnny Sandelson.
It also took on a bounce back loan during the pandemic. The government scheme was designed to provide a lifeline to businesses that were struggling in the wake of the Covid crisis.
Thomas Goode has been controlled by Mr Sandelson since the middle of 2018. At the time, he said he was aiming to bring the business into the 21st century.
It launched its first ever website in 2018, having previously relied heavily on special orders to help fit out private jets and yachts.
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