Debenhams CVA Challenge: Landlord’s Objections

In an article in PLC Magazine Lance Ashworth QC and Matthew Morrison discussed recent developments in retail CVAs in anticipation of the judgment of Norris J in the challenge to the Debenhams CVA initiated by certain of its landlords. The judgment was handed down on 23 September 2019. Lance and Matthew have updated their article with a summary of the key points from the decision. The case was noteworthy both because it is one of the few CVA challenges to go all the way through to a final hearing, and because the costs of the landlords’ challenge were funded by Sports Direct plc, the owner of House of Fraser, one of Debenham's key competitors.

The Judgment of Norris J can be viewed here.

To read Lance and Matthew's updated article for PLC Magazine, please click here.

Related Barristers

Lance Ashworth KC

Call: 1987
Silk: 2006

Matthew Morrison KC has a broad commercial chancery practice, with particular expertise in civil fraud, company and partnership disputes, and insolvency litigation.

Described by Chambers UK 2027 as an “outstanding barrister” who is “technically brilliant, fantastic with clients and someone whose cross-examination is exceptional”, Matthew regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal and has acted in proceedings before the Grand Court and Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (BVI), the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man High Court of Justice and the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts. He also has significant experience assisting advocates before the Royal Courts of Jersey and Guernsey. He is generally admitted to the BVI Bar and is currently admitted ad hoc on a number of matters in the Cayman Islands.

Matthew is an established legal author. He has written widely read PLC practice notes on minority shareholder remedies and edits chapters on directors’ duties and disqualification, and insolvency, in Gore-Browne, Butterworths Corporate Law Service, Tolley’s Company Law Service and Tolley’s Company Law Handbook; and on unfair prejudice, misfeasance and disqualification in the Law of Limited Liability Partnerships (Whittaker and Machell (6th ed.), 2026).