Chapel St bar Morris Jones liquidated, owes creditors over $800k

Popular Melbourne venue Morris Jones, which was founded by hospitality identity Hayden Burbank, has collapsed owing dozens of creditors including investors more than $800,000.

Popular Melbourne venue Morris Jones, which was founded by Hayden Burbank, has entered liquidation. Picture: Mark Stewart

Popular Melbourne venue Morris Jones, which was founded by hospitality identity Hayden Burbank, has entered liquidation with dozens of creditors including investors staring down losses of over $800,000.

Burbank gained notoriety after fudging documents to travel to Perth during the Covid lockdown to watch his beloved Demons win the 2021 AFL Grand Final, ultimately copping a three month jail term in Western Australia for his actions.

He stepped away from operating the bar business in November 2021 when he resigned as a director of Bambou Restaurant, the company behind the Chapel St hot spot.

His mother Antoinette Burbank is listed as the director of the company and Hayden is listed as its only shareholder.

Morris Jones, which first shut up shop earlier this year, collapsed owing a total of $834,062 to over 80 creditors, a report submitted by Ms Burbank lodged with the corporate regulator reveals.

Hayden Burbank is listed as the company’s only shareholder. Picture: Mark Stewart

This included the Australian Tax Office owed $62,589 and $8,681 in WorkCover, as well as suppliers Cambridge Cellars ($9,992), MRC Builders ($160,458), Hosp Management ($16,251), Moorabbin Marble & Granite ($15,675), Saunders Events ($15,739) and Kresta Blinds ($8,528).

Various investors were also listed as creditors owed tens of thousands of dollars including Andrew Murphy ($58,400), Brad Putzier ($60,000) and Daniel Barlow ($69,600).

The company entered liquidation on June 26, with insolvency expert Justin Howlett of SMB Advisory now picking through the financial wreckage of the business.

Hayden Burbank is listed as the only employee owed money, consisting of $59,711 in wages and $30,289 in long service leave.

Ms Burbank listed around $450,000 as being owed to the company from various debtors and disclosed over $48,000 in assets in the form of cash being held in a lawyer’s trust account.

Ms Burbank listed around $450,000 as being owed to the company from various debtors. Picture: Facebook.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed Burbank had thrown a farewell party at the closed down Windsor bar, disappointing former workers at the business who claimed they were owed money.

Several ex-workers claimed they were owed a couple of weeks pay as well as leave entitlements and superannuation.

In July last year, following a renovation, Morris Jones was relaunched with a celebrity studded party.

At that event, attended by the likes of Jackson Warne, Candice Wyatt, Tahan Lew, Tom Cutler, Jacinta Stapleton and Campbell Brown, a syndicate was introduced as the venue’s new owners.

But it appears the sale to that group was never fully transacted.

It was previously reported there was speculation that the Morris Jones business was on the market, with an application made on March 14 for the business’s liquor licence to be transferred.

Ms and Mr Burbank were contacted for comment.

Originally published as Chapel St bar Morris Jones liquidated, owes creditors over $800k