Three-year court stoush between Pink Monkey and Lachlan Waugh’s Shopfit Co ends with settlement

A three-year court stoush between the company of an Insta-famous tradie and a trendy Burleigh nightspot has ended with one of the parties paying out thousands of dollars. Read the result

A three-year court stoush between the company of an Insta-famous tradie and a trendy Burleigh nightspot has ended with one of the parties paying out thousands of dollars.

Shopfit Co took court action against Pink Monkey Kitchen & Bar in June 2021, claiming the bar had failed to pay a $336,000 bill for a flashy interior fit-out.

Shopfit Co is run by Lachlan Waugh, partner of Gold Coast reality TV star Skye Wheatley.

Shopfit claimed Pink Monkey owed $336,114 in unpaid invoices and other costs for the $2.5m rooftop fit-out.

But Pink Monkey lodged a $2.4m counterclaim the following month, with the case crawling through Southport’s District Court – amassing untold legal fees – for more than three years.

The Pink Monkey in Burleigh Heads. Pic Mike Batterham

As well as footing its own legal bills, Shopfit was ordered to pay more than $31,000 towards Pink Monkey’s costs in an order made in 2022.

The case settled out of court early this month.

Court records show Shopfit changed its solicitor four times during the case, and it unsuccessfully attempted to force Pink Monkey to change its lawyer too.

Both Pink Monkey and Shopfit declined to comment and the amount of the settlement has not been disclosed.

Pink Monkey Bar and Grill. Burleigh Heads. Picture: Jerad Williams

Shopfit entered the Small Business Restructuring program in August, owing $927,000 to the ATO and thousands more to multiple small businesses and the Gold Coast Council.

The SBR process is only available for companies with debts under $1 million.

Pink Monkey, which is directed by Jonathon Muir, was listed in Shopfit’s restructuring documents as being owed $1.

The ATO rejected Mr Waugh’s offer to pay a fifth of his debts, effectively ending the restructure attempt.

Lachlan Waugh and partner Skye Wheatley, who is not involved with Shopfit.

Commenting on the SBR’s end last week, Mr Waugh said Shopfit was able to pay its debts and had “made significant profits up to the end of the September quarter and appeared to be balance sheet solvent”.

While the rejection means Shopfit is no longer in external administration, it is now unable to use such a plan to reduce its hefty debts and is blocked from the SBR process for seven years.