Skulpt Face & Body cosmetic clinics in Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast in liquidation

Clients and suppliers of a luxury cosmetic group, which has clinics from Sydney to Cairns – including on the Gold Coast – are thousands out of pocket after it went into liquidation this week.

Clients and suppliers of a luxury cosmetic group, which has clinics from Sydney to Cairns, are thousands out of pocket after it went into liquidation this week.

Liquidators locked up four Skulpt Face & Body clinics in shopping centres including Cairns Central, Sunshine Plaza, Noosa Civic and Pacific Fair – where the group had a high-profile store next to Gold Coast-born success story Culture Kings.

Shopping centre owners are expected to be the major creditors of Skulpt, and are understood to be significantly behind on rent at all four stores.

High setup costs for the stylish clinics have also been blamed for the collapse.

Skulpt Face & Body at Pacific Fair has closed down. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Skulpt also has clinics at Indooroopilly in Brisbane, and at Westfield Miranda in Sydney.

While companies linked to those stores were not listed as in liquidation on Thursday, calls to each were diverted to voicemail.

A staff member Westfield Miranda said that clinic had been “closed for some time”, and angry reviews on social media suggest it closed down four months ago.

A worker at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre said Skulpt was only operating there “on certain days”.

Skulpt offered fat reduction, body contouring, face sculpting and skin treatments, with heavily discounted services available for clients who prepaid online.

Skulpt Clinics at Pacific Fair has closed down. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Pre-paying clients, like Cairns resident Toni Porteous, are now likely to be creditors of the liquidation.

“I prepaid $1500 and had an appointment (on Tuesday) and got a phone call to say they are in liquidation,” Ms Porteous said.

“I was at the clinic on Monday and they said nothing and (on Tuesday) got a call – I’m $1300 out of pocket.

“Frustrated is a nice word for it. It is not fair, and it’s not fair to the poor staff.”

Skulpt at Cairns Central.

Liquidator David Stimpson from SV Partners was appointed to three companies linked to the clinics late on Monday.

SV Partners director Jason Cronan said there was “a substantial amount” of rent owed to the clinics’ landlords.

“Unpaid rent and the pressure from the landlords has been a major contributor, as well as insufficient sales and customers,” Mr Cronan said.

The three companies in liquidation – Skulpt Clinics Australia Cairns, Skulpt Face & Body and Skulpt Face & Body Gold Coast – are directed by UK-born Sydneysider Mark Bullivant, 53, whose ASIC-registered address is at Bli Bli on the Sunshine Coast.

Skulpt offered a range of cosmetic procedures.

Mr Bullivant’s wife Vikki Bullivant, 46, is CEO of Skulpt and a joint shareholder of its parent company Skulpt Group, which is not in liquidation.

The Bulletin has attempted to contact the couple.

Property records show Mr Bullivant purchased the four-bedroom Sunshine Coast home for $585,000 in 2015 and have had it rented out since 2016.

Originally published as Skulpt Face & Body cosmetic clinics in Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast in liquidation