The UK government has announced that temporary restrictions on creditor action introduced in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 are to be phased out. These temporary restrictions were put in place to protect businesses in financial distress, as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, from being forced into insolvency.

National Car Parks' proposed restructuring plan aimed to write-off arrears, cut rents and close unwanted sites but why did the plan stall?

On 30 April 2021, National Car Parks launched its proposed restructuring plan, which is the flagship new restructuring process introduced last June through the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020. Around a dozen restructuring plans have come to market so far, but the NCP plan was only the second (the first being Virgin Active) to involve landlord creditors.

As witnessed repeatedly from countless national news sources, bankruptcy bulletins and scholarly articles, bankruptcies within the retail and restaurant industries have been booming. Within Fredrikson & Byron’s national practice alone, landlord and lessor clients found themselves wrapped up in many of these national bankruptcy cases, including those for CEC Entertainment, Inc. (better known as Chuck E. Cheese), Pier 1 Imports, Inc., and Vitamin OldCo Holdings, Inc., (f/k/a GNC Holdings, Inc.), amongst many others.

Overview

On 12 May 2021, the High Court sanctioned three inter-conditional restructuring plans, under the Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006, for certain English subsidiaries of the Virgin Active group, despite major opposition of certain landlords.[1] In the landmark decision, the High Court exercised its discretion to cram-down multiple classes of dissenting landlords in each plan, compromising their claims.

Virgin Active has been in the news recently, as it has proposed restructuring plans which rely on the new legislation found in the Corporate Governance and Insolvency Act 2020.

In this insight, we will explain:

In 7636156 Canada Inc. (Re)[1], the Ontario Court of Appeal ("OCA") confirmed the right of a commercial landlord to draw on a letter of credit given as security pursuant to a lease, even when the draw takes place after the termination of the lease by the tenant's trustee in bankruptcy.

Apperley Investments Limited & Others v Monsoon Accessorize Limited [2020] IEHC 523

The Commercial Court has refused to apply the provisions of a Company Voluntary Arrangement (“CVA”), negotiated pursuant to the Insolvency Act 1986 in the UK, to Irish landlords as it would be “manifestly contrary to the public policy of the State”.

These proceedings were taken by Irish landlords over properties in Dublin and Cork leased to the fashion retailer Monsoon.

The UK government on 20 May set out its hotly anticipated Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill, which, once enacted, will bring into force previously announced insolvency reforms.

We summarise below the main provisions of the bill as it currently stands. Please look out for further LawFlashes on this legislation as it develops over the next few weeks.

Moratorium

Temporary provisions restricting action to wind up companies and reverse some winding up orders already made are a step closer following presentation of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill (“Bill”) to the House of Commons on 20 May. The Bill will now work its way through both Houses before imminently becoming law. The Bill includes a number of substantial corporate insolvency changes, but also temporary provisions restricting action to wind up companies in light of Covid-19, on which we focus here.

The UK Government published the Corporate Governance and Insolvency Bill on 20 May 2020. The legislation will be fast tracked and include both temporary and permanent changes to the UK insolvency legislation.

The temporary measures, aimed at supporting businesses struggling with cash flow and facing distress due to COVID-19, include prohibitions on presentation of winding up petitions and winding up orders, suspension of wrongful trading laws and the ability to apply for a moratorium.