Court bother for RGB pair

There appears to be some bother ahead for restaurateur husband and wife team David and Emma Larkin who are facing court action from the liquidator of their Real Gourmet Burger chain.

The Larkins set up RGB with property developer Paddy Kelly as the boom sizzled to a crescendo in 2006, aiming to capitalise on a bovine bubble that saw posh burger joints spring up everywhere.

"Our angle would be to position ourselves towards the premium end of the burger market, the Brown Thomas end," said David Larkin at the time. The plan was to open up to six outlets but it went into liquidation in 2010 with two restaurants, in Ballsbridge and Dún Laoghaire – recessionary ground zero for Brown Thomas types.

RGB liquidator Anthony Weldon this week filed Section 150 proceedings in the High Court which could potentially see both Larkins restricted as directors for five years if breaches of the Companies Acts are proven. It isn't due before the court until January, and they have yet to file their defence.

The Larkins declined to comment yesterday, but one imagines that something like this must be tough to swallow.