ACMI bites back with reason behind sudden Karen Martini restaurant closure

#ACMIbites #backreason #suddenKaren
Eating out Restaurant news ACMI reveals reasons behind the sudden closure of Karen Martini restaurant Hero staff and customers were left in shock after restaurant was unexpectedly evacuated from Federation Square on Monday. I understand Share Chef Karen Martini has described treatment of Federation Square by the state government-run ACMI as "disgraceful", saying she was given five hours to close and vacate Hero restaurant on Monday afternoon. “Most of our staff found out we were shutting down social media,” Martini told Good Food. ACMI sent a memo to the company at 3pm on Monday informing it that Hero would be shutting down before issuing a media statement an hour later. ACMI has terminated the agreement with HospitalityM, the operator of Hero and its related event management business, due to breach of contract, ACMI director and CEO Seb Chan said on Wednesday. Karen Martini is bitterly disappointed by Hero's sudden closure. Provided "This follows ongoing attempts to negotiate with HospitalityM over the last few months. Since Hero opened November 2020, ACMI has engaged HospitalityM, including payment concessions and multi-contract renegotiations, to assist Hero through ongoing challenges in the hospitality sector the city." "Unfortunately, HospitalityM has failed to meet its legal and financial obligations under the agreement and has accrued significant outstanding debt. Chan said it would be inappropriate for ACMI to disclose amounts owed by a commercial operator. He received a call at 3pm on Monday. Martini, to whom a letter was sent, was told to close and leave the building by 2 that night. “How can a civil institution treat a private operator so discourteously?” HospitalityM counsel Michael Sapountsis said ACMI was "not compelled to take this action and has the opportunity to seek further mediation and discussion." “Questionable legality aside, the excessive behavior was ultimately self-serving in terms of planning and exposed suppliers and staff to greater financial jeopardy than otherwise,” Sapountsis said. Many our employees learned that we were shutting down social media.” Karen Martini Martini said her company has been in talks with ACMI, national museum of cinema culture, about the commercial terms Hero's lease for past two years. “We were in ongoing discussions with ACMI renegotiate our lease due to what was happening at the museum, and they chose increase that on Monday,” he said. Martini said that foot traffic decreased and fewer visitors came to ACMI than they expected, and they wanted this to be reflected in the commercial terms of the lease. Martini said site visit was not as outlined in the original tender due COVID and “changing traffic patterns CBD, Federation Square and ACMI.” She said she wants relax contractual requirements for ACMI operate a kiosk during hours she claims are not commercially viable. “We needed more working flexibility than was in the contract,”