A company involved in the now-closed House restaurant in Worcester has been served with a County Court Judgement in a row over unpaid salaries to staff.

It has been revealed that workers have taken legal action to reclaim thousands of pounds they said they were owed when the cafe closed suddenly in October.

The bar and restaurant was opened in Chapel Walk, CrownGate, Worcester, in May 2013,  by Mr Riad Erraji, former husband of Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton.

Staff said they were owed about a month’s pay, totalling between £9,000 and £11,000.

Court enforcement officers have now taken action to recoup some of the cash by entering the premises and securing goods.

An enforcement notice has been displayed in the bar's window, naming Mr Erraji, Hamiltons Worcester Ltd, for which Mr Erraji is listed as a director, and the
Echelon Group, as debtors.

The document refers toa County Court Judgement, which totals £1,335.24 for one claimant.

In a move to try to recoup the money allegedly owed in wages, bailiffs entered House which still contained dirty, mould filled coffee cups, on Friday, January 16, directly following the court judgement.

The empty premises were also taken back by the landlord, Crown Estates, which owns the shopping centre.

The enforcement officers said they were dealing with a number of staff members, who had not received payment for the final weeks of work.

They said the final wage slips were made by the Echelon Group, although the staff were paid in cash, and said Mr Erraji was the company owner when the staff allege they were not paid.

Mr Erraji was present at the opening of House. At the time he described it as a “premier Worcester venue for premier people”.

More recently he was pictured celebrating his birthday in the Liverpool Echo newspaper at the Amanzi restaurant in Liverpool, of which he is described as an operating partner.

A photo on the newspaper’s website shows Mr Erraji alongside girlfriend Stephanie Waring, who plays Cindy Cunningham in soap Hollyoaks.

Mr Erraji is also reported in the Echo as the chief executive officer of a new nightclub in Liverpool called The Empire.

The Worcester News tried repeatedly to contact Mr Erraji but received no response.

Meanwhile the empty House unit is now up for let.

Ramsay Floyd, centre manager for CrownGate Shopping Centre, said: “We confirm that following the closure of the unit in October last year, House failed to reopen.

"The lease for the unit has now been brought to an end and the unit is vacant.

“This has allowed us to clean up the areas visible for the mall but the unit has not been let to a new tenant.

“However, we have had expressions of interest for some of the items left in the unit from local businesses.”