BLUES chairman Ron Martin’s main UK business owes the taxman more than £96,000, it has been revealed.

Martin Dawn PLC, a property development company, is facing a winding up petition from Revenue and Customs.

It means even if Southend United avoid being placed into temporary administration over a £200,000 unpaid PAYE bill at the High Court on Thursday, Mr Martin faces yet another tax showdown in November.

Martin Dawn is pivotal to the Blues as it is the parent company of South Eastern Leisure UK Limited, which owns 76 per cent of the shares in Southend United.

An Echo special investigation last week revealed a wind-up petition had been filed against Martin Dawn, but neither Revenue and Customs nor Mr Martin would disclose the amount of unpaid tax involved in the case.

However, yesterday at the High Court, Mr Registrar Nicholls agreed to an application by the Echo to inspect the petition on grounds of public interest.

The document filed last July states: “The company is indebted to your petitioner in the sum of £96,367. Notwithstanding such application, the company has failed and neglected to pay or satisfy the said sum or any part there of. The company is unable to pay its debts.

“In these circumstances it is just and equitable the company be wound up.”

The alleged tax debts relate to shortfalls in national insurance and PAYE and interest for its six employees since financial year 2001/01. More than £15,000 of it stems from 2009/10 It is understood Martin Dawn, set up in 1983 as Martin Homes (Essex) Limited, will contest the amount of money claimed to be owed. The company has successfully defended six previous winding up petitions since 1999 when the taxman made a previous bid to close down the firm.

The most recent petition is the second from Revenue and Customs, the others have been from companies or individuals.