Golden Century Seafood Restaurant goes into administration
One of Sydney’s most iconic eateries, Chinatown’s Golden Century Seafood Restaurant, has gone into administration with one staff member saying they had been “terminated”.
NSW
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One of the Sydney’s most iconic restaurants has gone into administration, with one staff member saying they had been “terminated”.
Golden Century Seafood Restaurant on Sussex St in Sydney went into administration on Thursday with Chiefly Advisory setting the date of August 24 for creditors to declare how much they were owed.
Business manager Billy Wong, son of founders Eric and Linda, said the closure was due to a lease agreement issue.
“Our 20 year lease at Sussex St is up, and we haven’t agreed (on a) new lease with landlord,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“We’re not yet prepared to commit to a long term lease in these uncertain times so if the landlord can’t agree then we will have to move out of the premises.
“The talks at the moment are related to the lease renewal at Sussex St so our other venues, The Century (at The Star) and XOPP (at Darling Square) will continue as usual.”
The restaurant has been open for more than 30 years and has been the go-to-place for birthdays, anniversaries and Sydney’s elite.
An employee who answered the restaurant’s phone on Thursday said she could not speak on behalf of the company because she had been terminated and so had other staff.
Founders Eric and Linda moved to Sydney from Hong Kong in 1989 and built the first Golden Century at 405 Sussex St.
Within a year they upgraded for more space and moved into their current site at 393-399 Sussex St.
If the walls could talk, the restaurant would have a lot to say about political manoeuvring in NSW.
The seafood restaurant is popular with NSW Labor figures, whose headquarters are just a short walk away down Sussex St.
It’s reportedly where the deal was done to secure Sam Dastyari the position of NSW Labor Secretary in 2010.
Celebrity chefs Heston Blumenthal, Alain Ducasse, Anthony Bourdain, Ferran Adria and Jamie Oliver have all dined at Golden Century.
The restaurant has also been popular with Liberal leaders, particularly on the campaign trail.
John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison have all held events there.
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