Owner vows to keep fighting on despite restaurant closing doors
A LAST-minute legal bid to keep Surfers Rowers restaurant open has failed, putting 35 staff out of work.
Senior staff were told about the closure on Friday night and other employees had the news broken to them on Sunday, before management cleared the Bundall Rd premises.
Business owner Mario Sherri said despite recording a seven-figure financial loss in 14 months, he wanted to keep the business going.
Mr Sherri bought the business in December 2011, but chose not to buy the property.
The property’s owner then went into receivership earlier this year.
Mr Sherri said he looked at buying the land in August as a ‘‘last resort’’, but a valuation said it was only worth half of the agreed price.
He said Westpac then took over and knocked back Mr Sherri’s final offer last week.
Mr Sherri said Westpac was required to put the land on the market, but also chose to close the business.
Westpac has refused to comment, citing customer confidentiality.
‘‘We were pleading with them to keep the business in it. Selling it with an open business is better than selling it with a closed one,’’ Mr Sherri said.
Mr Sherri said after six months of negotiations to create a new lease with the receivers, he sought legal advice.
‘‘On Monday they gave us the vacate notice which gave us a week to move out,’’ he said.
‘‘All week we’ve spent the whole time with lawyers to find an avenue to get an injunction to stop this from happening.’’
Mr Sherri said that by Thursday they realised they had no other options and had to tell staff the news at the weekend.
‘‘There were a lot of mixed reactions from staff,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re all devastated.
‘‘It feels like all of our good and hard work in the past 12 months has gone to waste.’’
Mr Sherri said he was remaining positive and still hoped to either secure the property or continue the venue in partnership with a new landowner.
‘‘We’re still hopeful to participate in the upcoming sale once it goes to market,’’ he said.
‘‘But we are definitely keen for a long-term lease if there is a buyer out there who wants to purchase it.’’
Mr Sherri said he would continue to fight to keep Surfers Rowers alive, especially after receiving dozens of supportive comments after he posted the news on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Mr Sherri said it was the continued community support and strong clientele that kept him hopeful.