War of words over Beach House closure

A war of words has erupted over the impending closure of iconic North Wollongong restaurant The Beach House, after the landlord rejected claims she had forced out the business.The Cliff Rd venue will cease trading on Sunday after going into voluntary administration.Its proprietors recently undertook a $1 million renovation.The restaurant was run by four directors, including Alex Marlos and Manny Mavridis, who claimed the business was forced to shut its doors after a "lease dispute".The premises are part-owned by Trish Collins, who once ran the 30-year-old restaurant with her late partner Bob Hine.Mr Hine's children - Isaac, Joshua and Karren - also own a share of the property.Mr Marlos told the Mercury the directors had been forced to call in administrators MV Insolvency after the landlord refused to renew their five-year lease when it lapsed in March.The restaurant had since been placed on a month-to-month lease, which Mr Marlos claimed was not viable."There's no use staying month-to-month and living on the edge; it's not worth staying for," Mr Marlos said, indicating voluntary administration was the preferred option.Ms Collins said she had become concerned over the financial state of the business, so opted for a less risky, ongoing monthly lease when the previous lease lapsed."I had heard they were having financial difficulties," she said.The Mercury understands the business was not given notice to vacate.Mr Marlos said The Beach House was not in financial strife, insisting the rent was not in arrears and the business covered the cost of all its maintenance and outgoings.A meeting of creditors is scheduled for June 1. Meantime, Mr Marlos said customers who had pre-booked functions and left deposits would not be left out in the cold.The Beach House was a popular venue for weddings and christenings.The business was negotiating with other venues, including Wollongong University, the Novotel, the Lagoon Restaurant and the Wollongong Golf Club, to host its events.Many venues had agreed to waive deposits, Mr Marlos said.Novotel general manager Walter Immoos lamented the loss of one of the city's top restaurants."I'm sad to see the business going, it's been an icon in Wollongong," Mr Immoos said."We always send a lot of guests there and they are always looked after well, so from a tourist perspective it's a big loss."