Ms Roberts was one of many customers who were told to contact their banks to get a refund, although many received them as gifts and in some cases up to a year in advance.

Sean Devlin, 72, from Malvern, Worcestershire, said he organized a £110 five-course lunch in exchange for two tickets he could no longer use.

The retired headteacher received the voucher as a Christmas present last year, but when he tried to book a table he was told Purnell’s was closed.

“I didn’t get any information from them,” he said. “This really pisses me off.

“They’ve had a hard time, but so have a lot of other people. I’m sure they’ve made good money over the years.”