A Chinese takeaway is to be shut down after its owner lied about the number of orders they were taking to avoid paying tax amounting to just under £265,000.

Investigators said the owner, Yue Chang Dai, "deliberately suppressed takings with the sole intention of avoiding paying the correct amount of taxes."

The Good View takeaway on Watling Street in Dartford is to be shut down from January 11, 2021, and the owner Yue Chang Dai has been banned from running or managing a company for seven years.

Government investigators said the owner "deliberately suppressed takings with the sole intention of avoiding paying the correct amount of taxes."

According to a report from the Insolvency Service, the Chinese takeaway was reportedly unable to pay its debts and went into voluntary liquidation in October 2019.

But investigators from the government branch were called in after financial irregularities were spotted after the liquidation process started.

Investigators found that Yue Chang Dai, aged 56, had deliberately concealed the true amount of take away orders to avoid paying tax worth just under £265,000.

In total at liquidation, Yue Chang Dai owed the tax authorities almost £364,000, including penalties and interest.

On 21 December, the government accepted a disqualification undertaking from Yue Chang Dai after he did not dispute that he failed to ensure that Good View Da Ltd submitted accurate tax returns by supressing the business’s turnover.

Effective from January 11, 2021, Yue Chang Dai is banned for 7 years from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Director of Insolvent Investigations for the Insolvency Service, said: "From the very start of trading, Yue Chang Dai deliberately supressed takings with the sole intention of avoiding paying the correct amount of taxes.

"He thought he could walk away from his responsibilities without repercussions but instead Yue Chang Dai’s actions means he has been disqualified from the catering industry and the wider business environment for a significant period."