The iconic Le Sands Restaurant in Brighton-Le-Sands, owned by Paul and Elizabeth Antonopoulos, has temporarily closed its doors after Bayside Council terminated its lease.
According to The Greek Herald sources, the closure follows alleged non-payment of rent by the business due to an ongoing dispute with the Council.
In a statement on March 7, the Antonopoulos family said they are working with legal advisors to resolve the issue and promised to contact customers who had pre-existing bookings.
“Rest assured that our team will contact all customers with bookings to begin the refund process for any functions booked with deposits paid. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time,” the statement read.
A further letter posted on the restaurant’s door on March 1 thanked loyal patrons for their support over the past 44 years.
“Our family has invested a minimum of $8 million in this building and created a landmark asset that basically belongs to Bayside Council/NSW Government, and we pay rent close to $800,000 per year for this building,” the letter read.
“Council does not make any contribution to any outgoings or maintenance of this building. We look forward to seeing you in the very near future, and hopefully, we will be able to give everyone an explanation of what has happened.”
While bookings on the restaurant’s website are currently only available from May 1, the future of the venue remains uncertain.
The Greek Herald reached out to Bayside Council for comment, and a spokesperson responded that, as the matter is subject to legal proceedings, they are unable to make a public statement at this time.
