FERRIER Richardson, the celebrity chef, has been sacked from the Eurasia restaurant in Glasgow after it was discovered the business had accumulated so much debt that it faces voluntary liquidation.

The chef, who has held top posts in many of Glasgow's premier restaurants, was managing director at Eurasia in St Vincent Street.

However, under his guidance, the business built up substantial debts to the extent that one of the creditors called in the receivers, PricewaterhouseCooper, on Thursday night.

Richardson was on a business trip in Florida at the time, but the non-executive directors of Fine Dine & Wine Ltd, which owns Eurasia, were able to meet the immediate debt repayment demanded by the receivers.

It was then discovered that staff had not been paid and had not received any of the tips owed to them for the past two months.

The Herald has also learned that several suppliers to the restaurant had been trying to recover money owed for several months, including one firm, which cannot be named, that lodged a writ at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. The action was eventually settled out of court.

Yesterday, after Richardson's fellow directors discovered the extent of the other debts accumulated by the business, Richardson was sacked and a meeting of creditors was called, which will take place in about three weeks time.

It is expected that Eurasia, which was open for business as usual last night, will then go into voluntary liquidation, but in the meantime its three non-executive directors, who hold a minority shareholding in the business, have provided the money to pay staff and allow the restaurant to continue trading.

A spokesman for Eurasia said it was not known how much money was owed in total. However, it has been rumoured to be in the region of (pounds) 300,000.

According to a statement issued by Fine Dine & Wine yesterday, Richardson ''left his duties at Eurasia'' to make several business trips to the United States over the last few months and had travelled there again two weeks ago.

He returned yesterday after his fellow directors made repeated attempts to contact him when the receivers were called in on Thursday night.

Richardson was not available for comment yesterday, but Anne Marie, his wife, said she was surprised to hear of the problems at Eurasia.

Speaking at the couple's home in Mount Vernon, Glasgow, yesterday, she said: ''I did not know anything about him being sacked, I'm completely in the dark about this. If it's true then it would be quite a shock.''

The trips to the US taken by Richardson and his wife were made with a view to opening a new business over there.

Mrs Richardson said: ''We have only just got back from America. We have been over there looking to buy a business. It looks quite promising.''

The celebrity chef is also a partner in the newly-opened Black Bull in Killearn, and holds a 50% stake in the business.

However, that restaurant will not be affected by the troubles with Eurasia, as Richardson has no obligation to pay any of his personal funds to the creditors, according to PKF, the accountancy firm that has called the meeting of creditors on behalf of Fine Dine & Wine Ltd.

The debts accumulated at Eurasia, which opened in 1999, are likely to set off warning bells among other restaurant owners in the city.

Richardson himself, speaking last year when he was chairman of the Glasgow Restaurateurs Association, said that so many restaurants were opening up in the city that the market was reaching saturation point. He said: ''Every time a bank closes, a restaurant pops up in the same place. We need to watch that there are not too many.''

However, Alan Tompkins, owner of Gamba restaurant in Glasgow and present chairman of the association, said that he felt the market for restaurants nowadays was very strong.

Mr Tompkins said he was unaware of the troubles at Eurasia, where his association still plan to hold an award ceremony next Sunday.

Meanwhile, playing loud muzak, pouring wine unbidden and promising vegetarian options but not delivering them are among things that rile restaurant visitors the most, says a new guide out today.

Keeping you on hold while you try to make a booking and not letting you eat at the time you want are also among top moans, The Good Food Guide 2002, from Which? books, revealed.

The eating-out brigade also hate misplaced bookings, restaurants that have no non-smoking areas and those that charge full-price for children.

Diners also detest establishments that let them know just how lucky they are to be eating there. Asking for a faxed confirmation of a booking is also not to everyone's taste.