McLaren’s Landing manager Jason Nicholls owes Livin charity $8000 for failed event

A boatie businessman who has promised to repay thousands of dollars to unhappy customers took $8000 from a charity party last weekend.

The Gold Coast charity Livin’ is the latest in a list of companies having their parties cancelled by Jason Nicholls.

A BOATIE businessman who has promised to repay thousands of dollars to unhappy customers took $8000 from a charity party last weekend.

Tall Ship Island Adventures general manager Jason Nicholls, who operates McLaren’s Landing day resort on South Stradbroke Island, has come under fire recently after cancelling or underdelivering a number of fully paid Christmas bookings.

Yesterday Mr Nicholls told Gold Coast Bulletin he will be refunding all cancelled bookings to the popular resort within a fortnight “Without a shadow of a doubt”.

However as Mr Nicholls is promising to repay months old debts, he has simultaneously ripped off new bookings.

Tall Ship Island Adventures general manager Jason Nicholls, who operates the Mclaren’s Landing resort on South Stradbroke Island.

Local man Brad Sharman paid Mr Nicholls $8000 for a boat party he had planned since August, to take place December 15, with all proceeds being donated to mental health charity ‘Livin’.

Mr Sharman, a single father and the owner of Sharman Brothers Tiling, has receipts of paying a $2000 deposit in August and transferred the remaining $6000 to an account under Mr Nicholls’ name on December 4.

He was told by the Tall Ships office that payment was due December 7, but Mr Nicholls repeatedly contacted Mr Sharman demanding he pay sooner.

At 9pm the night before Mr Sharman’s event, he received a call from Mr Nicholls saying he could not get anyone to take a boat to McLaren’s Landing, saying he’d “exhausted most of (his) options”.

Mr Sharman claims Mr Nicholls also called him and said that he did not have the money.

“He said no skippers would take the boats out because of the weather, so I said I know people with the right tickets who will drive the boat and he said it doesn’t work like that.

“Then Saturday was sunny all day.

“Then on the phone he just said he doesn't have the money, that he’d paid other things during the week.

“I think he knew from when he was pressuring me for the final payment that he didn’t have a boat.”

MCLAREN’S LANDING OWNER VOWS TO REFUND DEPOSITS

Brad Sharman had organised a Living charity fundraiser at McLaren’s Island resort when it was cancelled at the last minute. Pic by Richard Gosling

Mr Sharman was forced to find another venue overnight, booking Coolangatta’s Rattlesnake nightclub, costing an additional $4000.

He said he is disgusted that Mr Nicholls knew his event was for charity, and still did not honour his duties as a business owner.

“I told him I was doing it for no personal gain and all the money was going to charity and he still lied to me.”

Mr Sharman is one of several event organisers who were let down by Mr Nicholls this year.

Island of Sin music festival organiser Raa Ketu says he is owned nearly $5000 from Mr Nicholls after lending money for boat transport to the McLaren Island event last September.

Mr Ketu was also forced to cancel another island party event planned for December due to lack of transport.

We had paid Jason a fee for his boat to run (but) the day before the event he notified us that his boat was out of action and would have to hire two other boats to get our party of 500 to the island,” Mr Ketu said.

“When we turned up the morning of the party Jase was asking us for an extra $4000 to pay for the extra boats he hired which he said he would pay back later on in the day.

“I’ve messaged and emailed him but no reply, it has been three months now.”

XMAS PARTIES RUINED AFTER OPERATOR CANCELS AT LAST MINUTE

The 31-metre catamaran moored at McLaren's Landing Island Resort.

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Mr Ketu said he has moved his popular music festivals to another location.

Mr Nicholls declined to comment on these new matters.

He told the Bulletin he will find out if his own boat, a 31-metre MV2000 catamaran, will be available for use by tomorrow. If not, another booking of 150 people scheduled this weekend will be cancelled.

“After my meeting today, if I know our boat is not available (then) I will not be running it this weekend,” Mr Nicholls said.

“We will definitely be doing refunds. We are busy organising that.”