Does Gordon Ramsay Leave A Bitter Taste For Principals?

Gordon Ramsay has been told he must honour a personal guarantee that was used to secure a pub in Regent's Park. This is despite the fact that Mr Ramsay did not physically sign the document, and tried to argue his father in law had effectively forged his signature on the guarantee.

The High Court held that Mr Ramsay was bound by the terms of guarantee entered into by his father in law, Mr Hutcheson, using a signature machine, as his agent. The court found that Mr Hutcheson had "sufficient authority" even though he did not have an "express authority" to enter into this particular guarantee and indemnity. The court made this decision based on the commercial relationship between Mr Ramsay and Mr Hutcheson.  The court looked at both whether Mr Hutcheson had authority to bind, and whether he could bind Mr Ramsay using a signature machine.