A SELECTION of York-based businesses have been named and shamed on the Government's list of tax defaulters.

HMRC has published the details of those businesses given financial penalties for failing to comply with tax obligations or deliberately filing errors in tax returns.

HMRC's Publishing Details of Deliberate Defaulters scheme flags up when a person or business has made at least one deliberate default on more than £25,000.

In the York area, a string of businesses connected to 'Harpers' restaurants and one car garage have been named.

The list is then updated every three months and the information is completely wiped after a year.

The address is the one associated with the published person at the time of the default.

The information below can be viewed on the government website as of April 6, 2021 - the day this story was published.

The list was last updated on March 17, 2021.

Below are the York-based companies listed by HMRC:

Specialist Cars of Malton Limited

Business, trade or occupation: Sales of motor cars

Address: Formerly of Unit 22 Seph Way, York Road Industrial Estate, Malton, YO17 6AX1

Period of default: May 1, 2016 to July, 31 2016

Total amount of tax/duty on which penalties are based: £200,772

Total amount of penalties charged: £112,432.32

Harpers (Market Weighton) Ltd (Formerly trading as ‘Harpers’)

Business, trade or occupation: Restaurant

Address: Formerly of 2 Southgate, Market Weighton, YO43 3AG

Period of default: July 1, 2011 to February 28, 2018

Total amount of tax/duty on which penalties are based: £213,630.20

Total amount of penalties charged: £133,457.29

Harpers (Wetwang) Ltd (Formerly trading as ‘Harpers’)

Business, trade or occupation: Restaurant

Address: Formerly of Main Street, Wetwang, Driffield, YO25 9X

Period of default: April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2016

Total amount of tax/duty on which penalties are based: £274,447.09

Total amount of penalties charged: £172,901.65

Harpers (Brandesburton) Ltd (Formerly trading as ‘Harpers’)

Business, trade or occupation: Restaurant

Address: Formerly of 89 Main Street, Brandesburton, YO25 8RG

Period of default: April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2017

Total amount of tax/duty on which penalties are based: £413,339.42

Total amount of penalties charged: £260,403.82

Harpers (A64) Limited (Formerly trading as ‘Harpers’)

Business, trade or occupation: Restaurant

Address: Formerly of 1 Willow Close, Brandesburton, Driffield, YO25 8QF and Spital Road, Staxton, YO12 4SB

Period of default: August 1, 2012 to July 31, 2017

Total amount of tax/duty on which penalties are based: £91,365.40

Total amount of penalties charged: £57,560.19

The Press attempted to obtain comments from the named companies above.

Some addresses previously owned by Harpers were acquired by Deep Blue Restaurants Ltd although this company operates seperately to Harpers.

Why is this information public and listed on the HMRC website?

David Gauke, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: "HMRC is dedicated to clamping down on the small minority of people who break the law, and finding and taking action against tax cheats who try to evade their responsibilities.

"The publication of these names sends a clear signal that cheating on tax is wrong and reassures people who pay their taxes – the vast majority – that there are consequences for those who refuse to tell HMRC about their full liability.

"It also encourages defaulters to make a full and prompt disclosure and cooperate with HMRC to avoid being named."