Hope Island restaurants collapse: New York New York, Manhattan on Hope and Tiffany’s Cafe and Cocktails gutted just days after staff let go

THE closure of three well-known Gold Coast restaurants has left locals who frequented them shocked as workers arrived to dismantle the now-shuttered eateries.

Randall McFie loads a ute with a friend outside of the now closed Hope Island eatery New York New York. Photo by Richard Gosling

HOPE Island residents and business owners say the closure of three well-known restaurants in the area caught them by surprise.

Randall McFie — the partner of Jo-Anne Crestani, the owner of the three restaurants through her Pacific Holdings Vanuatu Pty Ltd company — was cleaning out the kitchen of the closed Manhattan On Hope yesterday when a property agent arrived with a security guard and locksmith.

Notice no the now empty Manhattan on Hope reads “The landlord has now secured these premises”.

The agent, Linda Cobbin, from Knight Frank, declined to comment on the closures. A legal notice stating the action was pinned to the door of Manhattan on Hope.

Mr McFie twice declined to comment on the reason for the closures or the future of staff and their superannuation.

“I have nothing to say at the moment, don’t you have anything better to do,” Mr McFie said.

The kitchen of Manhattan on Hope was emptied onto the sidewalk, Thursday morning.

Nearby business owner Karina Bramley said she was told of the restaurant closures by staff.

“We are going to help a few of them out.”

Ms Bramley said Hope Island had remained consistently busy and was not aware of the reason for the closures.

“We’ve always been here for the community and the locals,” she said.

“Just chugging along”.

Gates welcomed Hope Island residents to the marina front, with a Manhattan on Hope and Tiffany’s either side of the entrance.

Long-time resident Zita O’Connor said she was surprised by the closures, saying: “They were busy and had only just been refurbished.”