Parlour Wine Room went into liquidation on 27 October. Photo: Parlour.
Canberra hospitality icon Parlour Wine Room is in liquidation, with at least one customer losing an $8500 event deposit.
Struggling owner Kevin Steadman last month put Parlour and downstairs bar High Jinks in New Acton on the market.
Capital Commercial Business Sales agent Patrick Pentony said that, based on market feedback, it was decided to sell the businesses separately to achieve the best result.
Mr Pentony said there were interested parties for both venues.
He said a Canberra hospitality group made an acceptable offer for High Jinks, which sold on Friday pre-auction, but a deal could not be done for Parlour.
“The other two parties are pretty well-known people from the Canberra hospitality area who were interested in the upstairs space, but they couldn’t get things together for an auction,” Mr Pentony said.
He had put the two in touch with the landlord to help achieve a sale at a later date.
Mr Steadman didn’t proceed with the 26 October auction, and his company, Infinite Foundations Pty Ltd ATF Fresh Start Collective Trust trading as High Jinks Cocktail Bar and Parlour Wine Room, went into liquidation the next day.
High Jinks was sold to a Canberra hospitality group. Photo: High Jinks.
Comment was sought from the liquidator, Aaron Torline of Slaven Torline.
A warning post on the Canberra Notice Board from Meischa Herreen said that only last week the balance of an $8500 deposit for an event had been paid after being asked to do so, as per the terms of the agreement.
“It was an event for around 80 people to be held on 27th November, only to find out today that they have disappeared with our money, so we now have no event and no money,” Meischa said.
But she may get her money back through her bank.
“The bank is saying that it will take 6-8 weeks to review … so hopefully they come through; however, in the meantime, the event is now cancelled as we have no money to start again,” Meischa said.
In reply, Renae Pickering said she had booked her wedding with Parlour for February.
“I’ve been emailing for weeks asking for updates and [there was] no response from the owner until a letter from their liquidator today,” she said.
“Devastated and perplexed that a company would willingly take people’s money knowing they were in financial trouble.”
She said it was similar to what happened at Pialligo Estate in 2023, which left many couples scrambling.
“It’s a shame the owner let us all find out this way,” Renae said.
“I got the letter in my junk mail yesterday from a random liquidation company. If I had a contract with someone, I’d want to say sorry for not being able to deliver on it.”
Mr Pentony said he had no idea that things were that bad.
“I knew that Kevin was under pressure and that’s why we thought an auction was the best option to remove him from the assets as soon as possible, but I didn’t know this was the situation,” he said.
“Kevin’s made a decision after the auction date, and that’s where we’re at.”
Mr Pentony said Parlour was a pretty special establishment and he hoped it would continue.
“I’ve been to several functions there with corporate events, parties,” he said.
“It is a wonderful little part of the city, and I certainly hope that someone can get in there and have fun and make it work.”
Mr Steadman was one of a number of business operators earlier in the year calling for a government lifeline to cope with the disruption caused by the construction of light rail Stage 2A on London Circuit.
He took over the two businesses in 2024.
