Lawsuit sequel to Rugby World Cup bills

Some rich RWC visitors were left high and dry by a travel company. Photo / Doug Sherring

High-profile Kiwi businesses have launched a $1 million lawsuit against a luxury travel company, which lured rich Brits to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup by boasting of claimed links to All Black great Sean Fitzpatrick.

The company, Little Black Book, promised to bring wealthy rugby fans from the UK, offering helicopter transfers to lodges and a glitzy gala dinner on the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi. Its promotional material said Fitzpatrick was a director and backer, a claim the former AB captain has denied.

The UK Companies Office said the business was dissolved two weeks ago, leaving unpaid debts to limousine companies, hotels, restaurants and other companies in both countries.

Celebrity agent Andy Haden, Harbourside Restaurant and property developer Lindsay Singleton are among those owed substantial sums.

According to several sources, Haden sold $50,000 worth of tickets to the Rugby World Cup semifinals and final to Little Black Book.

When the company could only produce $1500, he asked for other security but Little Black Book staff skipped the country without paying.

Jim Martin of Regency Limousines said the company promised tickets to the games but it wasn't licensed - hence the deal with Haden.

It is also claimed Little Black Book personnel ran up bills of tens of thousands of dollars living the high life in New Zealand.

Marketing manager Mel Evans flew business class from the UK and, one restaurant recalled, he had a liking for Dom Perignon Champagne. On October 16 he tweeted a picture of a bottle of the top Champagne's 1999 vintage, while dining at Harbourside Restaurant on the waterfront. "If you come across any of this stuff - not bad!!! #FreeWineTip."

But things weren't going so well for clients. A group from a Hong Kong bank turned up to find they had been locked out of their rental houses because Little Black Book had failed to pay their bills.

On another occasion, a kapa haka group and members of the Far North District Council formed a welcoming committee for VIPs at Whangarei Airport, but no one came off the plane.

Kiwi travel company Events by Design, which says it made bookings on behalf of Little Black Book, has also been placed in liquidation and is part of the legal action against Little Black Book.

A source at a luxury lodge in Auckland said they had accepted bookings through Events by Design based on the Fitzpatrick links, particularly Sean's wife Bronwyn.

"They very much traded on her name. These guys referred to her as Bronnie." The Fitzpatricks have denied having links.

An interim report by liquidators McDonald Vague said: "EBD claim that they relied on the clientele of LBB in advancing the Bay of Islands event." Its debts have been put at $600,000.

Little Black Book is also being investigated by the intelligence operations team of the British Insolvency Office.

Richlister's limo debt

An Auckland limo firm took legal action against one of the United Kingdom's wealthiest men in a dispute over Little Black Book.

In a David v Goliath battle, Regency Limousines took on richlister Michael Spencer over an unpaid account.

According to Regency Limousine owner Jim Martin, Spencer booked cars through Little Black Book for a three-week stay in Auckland during the Rugby World Cup. However, Martin received only a $5000 deposit for the $26,000 debt.

He hired a UK lawyer and said the dispute was settled out of court.

"Little Black Book were ultimately at fault, but as far as I was concerned the client is responsible for the bill," he said.

Spencer, a former Conservative Party treasurer, was placed 162nd in the Sunday Times Rich List 2012 with a fortune estimated at $1 billion.