Just eight months after taking the keys, the tenants of the Bald Faced Stag have been evicted over claims of late rent and unpaid bills.
After a stint on the market, Ulladulla Property Services P/L took on the operation late March 2017, headed by general manager Scott Allwyn Mackenzie, and business partner Kristy Clark.
The pub was set to be revived and modernised, with ambitious plans for a focus on live music and removal of the 18 poker machines, which freehold owner, Marcus Levy’s Marvan Hotels, agreed to sell.
But last week Marvan issued a statement, relaying that the lease to Ulladulla Property Services had been terminated on 20 January, due to “arrears in rent and concerns raised from other sources”.
The ‘concerns’ relate to allegations that suppliers and live acts have gone unpaid or underpaid since April, almost since the new operation began. This allegedly includes US band The Dillinger Escape Plan, owed $40,000, and Melbourne’s The Peep Tempel, owed $10,000, which both performed at The Stag in October.
Marvan Hotels has confirmed the 1830-built pub won’t be closing, and it will continue operations itself in the immediate future. All existing band bookings will be honoured.
Following the breaking of the story late last week, Mackenzie contacted The Music with some clarification, explaining bands have not been paid because “the business was not able to sustain itself just through music based on the inconsistent revenue”.
“There has been a massive loss at our end with the amount of time and money that was put into changing the location from an old man’s pub to a music-oriented business, however the cost to float the quieter periods severely effected (sic) the business which we were not able to sustain.”
Mackenzie, who The Music reports served time for charges relating to deception, says money owing to bands will be paid “once all costs have been allocated”.
It’s a very tough gig trying to make money out of live music acts in pubs, I would stick with the gambling and food revenue any day