Dispute Over Wedding Venue Lease

A well-known wedding venue in Brisbane faces an uncertain future after a dispute over the terms of a lease renewal led to the former proprietor walking away from the contract, reports the Brisbane Times.

Former proprietor Mounir Ibrahim had reached an agreement last year with Brisbane City Council over a five-year renewal to the lease for the Botanical Café and Functions Centre in Mt Coot-tha. However, he has now walked away from the deal, and both he and the Council are apparently blaming each other for reneging on previously agreed terms.

Mr Ibrahim claims that the Council “moved the goalposts” of the lease, imposing “unreasonable demands and ultimatums” over plans he had drawn up to improve the venue. As a result, he says, he had no choice but to walk away.

However, Adrian Schrinner, who is the deputy mayor, insists that the Council’s requirements had all been agreed to last year when a heads of agreement had been signed by Mr Ibrahim in advance of a formal lease.

The business stopped trading on 31^st May, and Brisbane City Council is currently going through a tender exercise to find a new proprietor. Mr Ibrahim has wished them “good luck” in this venture, reports the Brisbane Times.

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Source:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/mt-coottha-cafe-set-to-close-after-dispute-with-council-landlords-20160511-goss3d