Nightcliff’s Lucky Bat cafe is due to re-open on Monday under new management

Facing the prospect of liquidation, popular Nightcliff cafe Lucky Bat is set to re-open with new management with a lifeline thrown to its patrons. Read what is about to change.

The Lucky Bat cafe in Nightcliff is under new management and set to re-open on Monday.

The business has been on the market since early 2022 and liquidators were brought in late last year.

New proprietor, long-time Territorian Caron Farrell said the decision to take over the business was “very quick”.

“I heard about it and was keen. It was very random. I just rang and it was a bit of a quick decision,” she said.

Ms Farrell said she planned to keep the same staff and similar menu, with a few “personal twists” and wants to retain the popular late week evening music sessions, Thursday open mics and quiz nights and pizzas.

Ms Farrell also owns and operates The Lucky Cow vegetarian food van and gourmet food van Dene’s Kitchen, and intends to infuse her own style into the Lucky Bat.

“The Lucky Cow provides lots of gluten free vegan scenarios and Dene’s is street food – slow cooked beef, that type of thing,” she said.

“I’ll make it all blend in with what is already on the menu.

New Lucky Bat owner Caron Farrell.

Ms Farrell new Lucky Bat co-founder Justin Schmidt through Skinny Fish music and paid tribute to him and cafe co-founder Danny Crichton.

“I feel very privileged. This is an amazing place. Justin and Danny have created a wonderful, wonderful venue and it’s a shame Covid impacted on so many hospitality places causing hardship for many businesses,” she said.

Ms Farrell is leaving a financial manager’s job to take over the business.

The Lucky Bat was placed in liquidation on December 21 and liquidators Olvera Advisors began an expressions of interest process timed to conclude on Monday.

The offer included furniture and fixtures and required the buyer to arrange an ongoing lease with the landlord.

On December 29 liquidator Mirzan Mansorr wrote to some Lucky Bat stakeholders informing them he was urgently seeking offers from buyers.

The Lucky Bat opened in 2017 and is understood to have struggled financially.

It is understood the only year it made a profit was 2020 when it was propped up by the federal government’s Covid JobKeeper allowance.

Lucky Bat owners Justin Schmidt and Danny Crichton sat in their Knuckey St Lucky Bat location. Picture: Floss Adams.

Mr Schmidt has previously said the impact of Covid and a high wages bill hit the enterprise’s profitability.

It is not clear how the liquidation of Lucky Bat will impact Mr Schmidt’s new CBD hospitality business Bustard Town in Knuckey Street.

Mr Crichton appears not to be involved in the new venture.

Private investors contributed a minimum of $10,000 to the Lucky Bat in exchange for discounted drinks and discount meals.

It is unclear whether any shareholders received dividends beyond discounted hospitality or whether money was repaid to some shareholders and not others.

It is not clear how the liquidation of Lucky Bat will impact his CBD business Bustard Town.

Mr Schmidt said the city project was being funded separately through a loan he had taken, investment by a prominent Darwin business family in the building and other private investment.

The business is not yet fully operating.

Bustard Town is trading as a separate legal entity. Mr Schmidt has said he is “grieving” at the Lucky Bat’s liquidation.

Mr Schmidt declined a request for an interview and emailed a written reply on behalf of him and Mr Crichton to a series of questions about the solvency of Lucky Bat.

“We decided late last year that we couldn’t keep Lucky Bat going and have entered voluntary liquidation,” he said.

“Voluntary liquidation is a solvent company being wound up. Without Danny or Justin working endless hours we believed the company didn’t have a viable future. We have been trying to sell it for 18 months or more, this was communicated to shareholders. The proceeds of liquidation are used to pay off its debts.

“Other than doing a thorough handover for the new owner to give her our blessing and the best chance of success, that’s the end of LB for both Danny and Justin.

“We put everything of ourselves into the business and are both devastated that we lost it.”

Lucky Bat will open under new management at 7am Monday January 9.