Three Noosaville hospitality venues have closed their doors suddenly after several of the owners’ companies cascaded into a mixture of administration and liquidation.
JD’s Chicken Co and Apero Noosa, at 203 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville, and Frenchies Brasserie Noosa, at Thomas Street, Noosaville, have all shut.
People identifying themselves as employees said on social media that they received no notice of the closures, only a simple email with no explanation.
JD’s Chicken, Apero and Frenchies were owned by David Edward Myer Singer, of Dee Why, Sydney.
Frenchies Brasserie Noosa was placed into administration in March with debts of more than $1.3 million, according to documents lodged with ASIC, while JD’s Chicken Co went into liquidation on August 7.
At that time, the debts of Frenchies Brasserie Noosa, which leased Apero’s premises, included more than $360,00 to the tax office, $160,000 to a landlord and thousands to employees, including one owed about $16,000.
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Mr Singer owed more than $367,000 and another company owned by him, Fitzroy Nominees, owed a total of close to $1 million.
Administrator Nicarson Natkunarajah, of insolvency firm Roger and Carson, in a report to creditors in April, said he had formed the view the company may have been trading while insolvent.
According to the report, the reasons for his view included the company’s losses of $1.25 million and $72,000 in in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years, shortfalls of assets to liabilities over four years, including $1.43 million as of March this year, a tax office penalty notice, and that employee superannuation remained outstanding.
Creditors who attended a meeting in May agreed to a deed of company arrangement with a view to receiving 27 cents in the dollar for the money they were owed.
Australian Securities and Investment Commission notices and documents indicate Mr Singer may have had business problems for months.
Fitzroy Nominees has ownership of Frenchies Brasserie Australia, Brasserie Wines Australia and Bix Investments.
Frenchies Brasserie Australia went into administration in May last year and a decision was made in June to wind it up.
Brasserie Wines Australia went into liquidation in May before a decision was also made in June this year to wind up the company.
Bix Investments went into liquidation on August 7 and a wind-up notice was lodged with ASIC the following day.
Apero’s business affairs had been transferred to Bix, according to the April administrator’s report.
Mr Singer was contacted for comment through email but had not responded at the time of publication.
A person who previously worked with Mr Singer on a couple of projects was surprised at the “sad news” and said times were tough.
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