Ocean Grove’s Napona restaurant placed in liquidation owing $270,000 tax

A popular Italian restaurant in Ocean Grove has entered liquidation owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the tax office.

Napona served Mediterranean and Asian-fusion. Photo: Ginger + Mint

A popular Italian restaurant in Ocean Grove which closed its door to patrons earlier this year has entered liquidation owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to the tax office.

Wise Hospitality Pty Ltd, which operated under the business name Napona, appointed Scott Andersen of Worrells as liquidator on November 22.

According to Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) documents, the company owes $270,000 to the Australian Taxation Office and also owes money to its employees.

However, the amount owed to employees is yet to be declared.

Napona was first registered in 2011, according to Australian and Securities Investment Commission documents, and lists William Swinton as its sole director.

Napona closed on July 13 and in a message posted on Instagram said it had decided not to continue with the lease for a multitude of reasons.

“Economic forecasts, but also the desire to explore different opportunities and give more priority to our young family (were among the reasons),” the social media post read.

The Mediterranean-style restaurant on Hodgson St served a variety of pizzas and seafood dishes.

Napona was a well-known dining destination on the Bellarine Peninsula and was highly regarded by TV food critic Matt Preston.

Will Swinton owned Napona in Ocean Grove. Photo: Ginger + Mint

According to a recent Business Council of Australia report, Victoria is the worst state to do business in Australia due to the amount of red tape and taxes.

The report found that the state’s payroll tax and land taxes were among the most burdensome in the country.

Payroll and land taxes grew 94 per cent, taking in an extra $6bn; land and transfer duties on commercial and industrial properties have risen 157 per cent.

According to the BCA ­report, Victorian businesses also struggled with too much red tape.

Cafes and childcare operators were the worst affected.

In July Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jeremy Crawford said much work was to be done to improve the hospitality industry in Geelong, but he remained confident there would be a resurgence.

“What we’re finding is that there’s a bit of a perfect storm where we have some quite unfavourable business conditions in the state,” Mr Crawford said.

“The rising costs of doing business and the service costs that have risen recently is just being compounded by some much lower discretionary spend from the local economy and also from the visitors.”

Last month Ocean Grove’s Kyosk Cafe was placed into liquidation owing $570,000 in tax and just under $140,000 in superannuation.

Originally published as Ocean Grove’s Napona restaurant placed in liquidation owing $270,000 tax