Former Ashmore Seafood and Steak site vandalised, in disrepair as plans for high-end shops stall

A $50 million suburban food and health precinct – described by its developers as an “epicurean emporium” and due to open early this year – has instead become a high-profile eyesore. See the video

A $50 million suburban food and health precinct – described by its developers as an “epicurean emporium” and due to open early this year – has instead become a high-profile eyesore.

Brisbane-based Churchill Development Group proposed the high-end Ashmore Markets – a retail, hospitality and medical precinct on the site of the beloved Ashmore Seafood and Steakhouse restaurant – in 2021 and was due to start construction in 2022.

This week it sat in disrepair, with smashed windows and glass doors boarded up, graffiti inside and outside, holes kicked into plasterboard and ceilings collapsing.

The 9020sq m site on Reed St, fronting busy Ashmore Rd, was sold by a company linked to the restaurant’s Carkazis family for $13 million in November 2021.

The Ashmore Steak and Seafood restaurant and neighbouring businesses were supposed to have made way for a new development by Churchill Development Group but has been in disrepair for more than two years.

The Ashmore Steak and Seafood restaurant and neighbouring businesses were supposed to have made way for a new development by Churchill Development Group but has been in disrepair for more than two years.

The family had run the Ashmore restaurant for almost 40 years before closing for the last time in February 2022.

The buyer was a company called Ashmore Markets, directed by Churchill boss Jonathan Leishman, 39, who holds equal shares with fellow developers Robert Steer and David Schuh.

Spruiking the Ashmore project in 2021, Mr Leishman gave a nod to Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate who “used to frequently drop in to enjoy a steak here”.

“By the end of 2023, we hope Tom will be back at Reed Street to again enjoy some of the best produce the Gold Coast has to offer,” he said at the time.

Artist's impression of the proposed Ashmore Markets centre, which was expected to include a 2700sq m Harris Farm Markets store.

The Ashmore Seafood and Steak restaurant site was set to be transformed into a $50 million food-lover destination with shopping centre, medical hub and speciality retail areas.

But the site is a long way from hosting any enjoyable meals.

Division 8 councillor Bob La Castra said it was “driving the local community mad and driving me mad”.

“There’s nothing I can give to update (locals) and not much I can do about it,” he said.

“It has been hit so many times with graffiti, there’s broken glass, undesirables hanging around and allegedly living in the building.

“The issue we’ve got is that, when it comes to the presentation of it, unless we can identify a safety situation, then we can’t act.

“Apart from that we can request the owners go and clean it up.”

The Ashmore Steak and Seafood restaurant and neighbouring businesses were supposed to have made way for a new development by Churchill Development Group but has been in disrepair for more than two years.

The Ashmore Steak and Seafood restaurant and neighbouring businesses were supposed to have made way for a new development by Churchill Development Group but has been in disrepair for more than two years.

As well as the Ashmore proposal, Churchill Development Group has a project in progress on Kingston Rd in Logan and plans for a mammoth residential and commercial precinct named Breakfast Creek Quarter for Brisbane’s Newstead.

This week there was nothing but a “new website coming soon” notice on the company’s website.

Internet archives show the site’s content, outlining details of its projects at Ashmore, Logan and Brisbane, was taken down in July.

A previous Churchill Development email address used by Mr Leishman bounced back this week, while calls and texts to his phone went unanswered.

Questions to the general email address for the company also went unanswered.

Jonathan Leishman and Robert Steer

More than 5200sq m in the proposed Ashmore development had been advertised for lease from 2022, with 15 spaces between 120sq m and 2500sq m on offer.

Council planning records show development approval on the site is current until August 2028.

The developer made a minor change to the initial application in January last year, adding a new two-storey building for food and health tenancies.

No other applications or permits have been lodged since.

Cr La Castra said council officers had been able to paint over graffiti on the outside of the property, but could not enter private property without a convoluted process.

“It’s not a good look,” he said.