Nicholas Thompson, chief executive of architect Aukett Fitzroy Robinson, has said the bankruptcy of developer Simon Halabi will not affect an outstanding debt to the practice of more than 拢1m in legal costs and fees

Halabi was made bankrupt last week over a 拢53.6m loan he received from Icelandic bank Kaupthing relating to his purchase of the Esporta health club chain in 2007.

Aukett is owed 拢500,000 by Halabi鈥檚 firms in legal costs and 拢871,900 in fees after a legal dispute that ended in January.

The row began last year when Aukett launched proceedings against Halabi鈥檚 firms, claiming 拢1.6m in unpaid fees for work on Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire and two properties in the West End.

Halabi issued a counterclaim that Aukett had failed to inform him of the departure of Jeremy Blake, the project architect on the jobs, for eight months after he left.

Thompson said: 鈥淚t won鈥檛 affect us because the debt is secured against the properties and is not owed by him personally. We will be paid from the proceeds of their sale.鈥�

One of the sites, the former In and Out Club in Piccadilly is on the market for a reported 拢250m.

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