Judge shock at liquidator school costs

A JUDGE said he had been left “surprised and concerned” by a provisional liquidator charging £120,000 for 20 days’ work at a private school.

Chartered accountant Blair Nimmo, of KPMG, was appointed as liquidator at St Margaret’s School in ­Newington in 2010.

The school – which had been suffering from a falling pupil roll – is now closed.

A liquidation committee had approved fees totalling more than £500,000, excluding VAT.

But Lord Malcolm decided to have a hearing because of “the large sum” of £120,344, not including VAT, being sought for the early stages of ­provisional liquidation.

The judge yesterday approved the fee, but he added: “I suspect that many will find it remarkable that the winding up of a middling size private school can generate fees of over £620,000.”