KNYSNA NEWS - Senza restaurant, which owes the Knysna municipality over R7-million in unpaid rent and other municipal accounts, has been empty since May, and although the Heads is one of the town's most famous tourist attractions, this prime space is still not occupied.
On May 2, the restaurant was finally closed for the last time, after an eight-year-debacle over money owed money to the municipality, but despite this owner Roland Walker loaded up the furniture and simply left the restaurant without settling his debt.
It took court action on the part of the municipality to force the restaurant to close up shop after failing to stop trading when its lease was terminated at the end of 2016 – but still continued to operate.
This followed years of drama between the owners of the restaurant, formerly Cornuti Ristorante, and the municipality after they started leasing the prominent property overlooking the Knysna Heads from the municipality in April 2008.
Owner Roland Walker maintained that he withheld payments after the municipality allegedly gave the green light for upgrades to the tune of R2.5-million – about R1.5-million more than what was originally agreed upon. This was, however, never put in writing.
The owners also claimed that initial costs of the upgrade, which needed to be done when they “moved in”, would have been R1-million, but that the condition of the floors, roof and other structural work pushed up costs dramatically.
That was the beginning of lengthy and ongoing litigation.
Had Walker not closed shop on May 2, the sheriff of the court would have evicted them.
QUESTIONS REMAIN
In the meantime, unhappy residents who say they either have to pay municipal bills or get shut down, have been asking burning questions for years, which have also been brought to the attention of various municipal managers by the Knysna-Plett Herald.Will the money owed by Walker ever be recovered?
How much has the municipality spent on legal bills against Walker?
Why was Walker's furniture not even attached on the day of eviction as part-payment of the costs?
These questions have to date not been answered.
A question as to what will happen to Senza now, has had two responses.
"Given the public interest in this issue, the draft tender documents for the old Senza restaurant premises will be benchmarked and tabled at the bid specification committee this Thursday, 20 July. Once approved by the committee the tender will be advertised shortly thereafter," said municipal manager Kam Chetty two weeks ago.
At the time of going to print this week, August 2, he said, "The tender has been advertised and the matter will be tabled at the council meeting in August."
Click here for previous articles:
- Senza Restaurant finally gone
- Restaurant still trading despite expired lease
- Restaurant owing millions still trading
- East Head Café extended-lease controversy
- Indebted restaurant's electricity disconnected
- Council resolves to end restaurant's lease
- Restaurant owes millions in rent
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
