Dinner by Heston ousted from Crown casino
In a shock move, Heston Blumenthal’s troubled high-end diner has been booted from its Melbourne location at Crown casino. It comes a month after the restaurant claimed it would remain open, despite being placed into voluntary administration.
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Crown Melbourne has ousted Heston Blumenthal’s trouble-plagued high-end restaurant Dinner By Heston from its Melbourne base.
It is understood Dinner by Heston has 14 days to vacate the premises.
Crown informed the insolvent restaurant late on Friday that its lease was being terminated.
It follows the restaurant’s parent company Tipsy Cake Pty Ltd applying for provisional liquidation on December 19 last year as it was beset with financial woes.
Crown labelled it as “disappointing” but said it was directly connected to the business being insolvent.
The restaurant has been run by provisional liquidators Brian Silvia and David Coyne of BRI Ferrier since late December, after they were appointed by the Federal Court.
United Workers Union national president Jo-anne Schofield said the situation was a disgrace.
“Our members feel betrayed,” she said.
“Some workers are owed tens of thousands of dollars.”
“There are also workers who face losing sponsored visa status and being forced to leave the country because of this mess.”
Ms Schofield called on Crown Casino to look after affected workers.
Customers with vouchers to the high-end restaurant will be able to exchange them for Crown gift cards.
The resort operator and casino also said it would look to take on former Heston staff within Crown.
“Tipsy Cake Pty Limited — trading as Dinner by Heston — applied for a Provisional Liquidator to be appointed in late December due to its insolvency,” a Crown spokeswoman said.
MORE NEWS
COMPANY BEHIND TOXIC WASTE EXPLOSION CHARGED
MELBOURNE’S OWN TRUMP TOWER TAKING SHAPE
“As a result, Crown has taken action to terminate Tipsy Cake’s lease at Crown Melbourne.”
“While this is disappointing, Crown is working to provide assistance to Tipsy Cake employees looking for employment within Crown. The Provisional Liquidator of Tipsy Cake, however, will need to deal with employee matters at the first instance.”
Company reports showed the business made a loss of $492,004 in 2018 and a loss of $308,526 in 2017.
In response to the closure, the United Workers Union national president Jo-anne Schofield called the situation a disgrace.
“Our members feel betrayed,” she said.
“Some workers are owed tens of thousands of dollars.”
“There are also workers who face losing sponsored visa status and being forced to leave the country because of this mess.”
Ms Schofield also called on Crown Casino to look after affected workers.