Ord v Belhaven Pubs Ltd

Ord v Belhaven Pubs Ltd [1998] 2 BCLC 447 is a UK company law case concerning piercing the corporate veil.

Mr and Mrs Ord requested that a company with money, Ascott Holdings Ltd, be substituted for Belhaven Pubs Ltd to enforce the judgment.

The Court of Appeal overturned the judgement and held that the reorganisation was a legitimate one, and not done to avoid an existing obligation.

Hobhouse LJ argued that the reorganisation, even though it resulted in Belhaven Pubs Ltd having no further assets, was done as part of a response to the group's financial crisis.

Hobhouse LJ also held, specifically, that the earlier case of Creasey v Breachwood Motors Ltd was wrong.