Sweetlips and Tim Ho Wan close doors

Perth’s hospitality woes have continued, after fish and chip chain Sweetlips entered liquidation and Raine Square tenant Tim Ho Wan closed its doors after less than a year.

John Carrello from BRI Ferrier Western Australia was appointed as liquidator to Sweetlips on Sunday.

The first Sweetlips store was opened in Leederville in 1995, and since then expanded to stores in Fremantle, Scarborough and Melville.

Sweetlips announced on its social media channels that its Fremantle and Leederville stores have closed permanently, but all vouchers could be redeemed at its Melville or Scarborough locations.

Sweetlips was founded by Michael Waldock and Stephen Gangemi.

Prior to co-founding Sweetlips, Mr Waldock was a general manager at Kailis Bros from 1988 to 1993.

In 2013, Sweetlips was named the best fish and chip shop in Australia at the National Seafood Industry Awards.

In other news today, international Michelin-starred dim sum eatery Tim Ho Wan announced via its social media channels it had closed its Perth restaurant.

“We would like to thank all of our customers and the good people of Perth for their loyalty and support,” it said.

“Don’t forget that we do have a Tim Ho Wan in Melbourne so if you do visit Melbourne please drop by and say hi.”

The Hong Kong-based restaurant opened at Raine Square last September.

It opened a store in Sydney in 2015, but closed it in 2018.

In other insolvency news, Jeremy Nipps of Cor Cordis has been appointed liquidator of West Perth business Picton Press.

This comes just more than a year after the business was placed into administration, in May 2018, with an estimated $9 million of debt.

The directors had proposed a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) which would have seen small creditors paid in full.

However, it’s understood the Australian Tax Office opposed the DOCA.

At a creditors meeting held yesterday, creditors voted to terminate the DOCA and Mr Nipps was subsequently appointed as liquidator.

The company’s assets include a high-speed ten colour KBA Rapida 106 printer, acquired in 2014 for about $3 million.