SV Partners

^{Last update – 14 – January – 2022}

The conduct and the theft of assets by staff at SV Partners – Administrators & Liquidators when Hopetoun Tea Rooms was placed into Administration.

FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) were forced into Administration as the Block Arcade refused to allow me to sell the business and TradeMark to the open market and repay my debt. of approx. $1.5 million.

What was the Block Arcade up to? – see below – Failed Negotiations

This is the attempt of the Block Arcade to financially cripple me and take the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ at the lowest possible price and even for free.

In the course of Administration / Liquidation – the Block Arcade and the Administrators colluded against me.

The Administrators / Liquidators breached their “Professional Code of Conduct”.

The Administrator & the Block Arcade – Grant Cohen attempts to get rid of the CCTV system (assets of the company) installed in the Hopetoun Tea Rooms premises.

The ‘Key Players’

The ‘key players’ that have been instrumental in the loss of the original Hopetoun Tea Rooms est, 1892 ™ are as follows:

• The Block Arcade – the landlord

• Allard Shelton – the landlord’s Managing agent

• du Chateau Chun – Building Surveyor – for the expansion project Hopetoun Tea Rooms (2)

• Lexon Group – landlord’s builder – for the expansion project Hopetoun Tea Rooms (2)

• Tisher Liner FC Law – law firm representing FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™
• Sinisgalli Foster – law firm representing FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 1892 ™ during Administration / Liquidation
  

February 2020

The Block Arcade wants their money – as ordered by VCAT

• FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ received 2 x Statutory demands from:
  • (Letter – 1) Block Arcade for the sum of $483,949.56 and their related party,
  • (Letter – 2) Winchelada Pty Ltd for the sum of $1,011,793.56

• Total sum of $1,495,743.12 (the debt) owed by FineTea Pty Ltd. to (1) & (2)

March 2020

The original Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ closes its doors

• 18th March 2020 – FineTea Pty Ltd. t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ closed its doors due to COVID restrictions

• At the time, we assumed that the COVID pandemic, would pass over the coming months.

• Sadly this was not the case, and as well all know the pandemic continues into 2022, with the end unknown.

• The Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ really did close on the 18th March 2020 at the Block Arcade.

• Allard Shelton and The Block Arcade using intimidation & threats attempted to keep Hopetoun Tea Rooms opened during this period, playing down the risks of COVID.

• Between March and May 2020, several negotiations were made with the landlord in an attempt to repay the debt.

• All attempts were made by FineTea Pty Ltd. t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ to keep the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ trading, however the landlord wanted to take over the brand and the TradeMark and intellectual property.

Failed negotiations

• FineTea Pty Ltd. wanted to put the company and business Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ up for sale in order to repay the debt.

• The Block Arcade refused to allow me to sell the business and TradeMark to the open market and instead demanded that we hand over the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ as well as pay the debt.
  • In summary, the Block Arcade wanted the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ for free, and at the same time FineTea Pty Ltd. pay the debt.
  • If the Block Arcade any real interest in having their debt paid, they would have allowed the sale of the business occur.
  • As you will see from the following during Administration/Liquidation – The Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ had 47 interested parties at the end of the sale campaign, which would have without doubt, received a sale price well exceeding the debt and all creditors would have been paid.
  • However, The Block Arcade was not interested – they wanted the Brand Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ – for free and the debt.

• I would not be deterred, intimidated and/or moved by the Block Arcade’s unethical tactics.

• It was clear that The Block Arcade wanted the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ and “Time tells the Truth” instead of leasing the premises of Shop 1 & 2 to another retailer and removing the Hopetoun Tea Rooms Trademark from the premises they went on to commit further crimes (see below)

May 2020

FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms ™ goes into Voluntary Administration

• 8th May 2020 – With all negotiations broken down with the Block Arcade, FineTea Pty Ltd t/as Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) appointed SV Partners as the Administrators on the 8th May 2020

• 20th May 2020 – Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) was advertised for sale on the 20th May 2020 in the Australian Financial Review

• Due to ongoing COVID 19 restrictions the original and only Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) closed its doors for the last time since 1892 at the Block Arcade on the 18th March 2020.

June 2020

The Block Arcade interfering with the sale campaign – sabotage

• 3rd June 2020 – The closing date of the sale campaign, the Administrator received 47 expressions of interest, & 23 of these signed a deed of confidentiality agreement.

• All the interested parties were requested to make appointments with the Block Arcade landlord, for negotiations of the tenancy and lease at the Shop 1 & 2. This would be part of the sale.

• The Block Arcade refused to speak to any and all parties interested with many of the parties withdrawing their interests.

• 4th June 2020, one day after the sale campaign was completed, the Block Arcade landlord issued a Section 146 – Terminating the Lease of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms at Shop 1 & 2.

• A clear indication by the Block Arcade to interfere with the sale process and ensure that all interested parties withdrew their interests and allowing the landlord to be the only interested party.

• All parties except one, withdrew their interest for the purchase of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) assets, plant & equipment, Trademark, Intellectual Property, Business name, Goodwill, stock etc.

• The leasehold was no longer available – as the Block Arcade landlord, on the 4th Jun 2020, had terminated the lease and was prepared to see the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 (TM) leave the Block Arcade shopping centre after 128 years.

• SV Partners wrote to the Victorian Ombudsman – “All endeavours to have the landlord negotiate with the interested parties proved not only unfruitful but a hinderance to the sale process. It became clear at that time and confirmed by the landlord’s conduct that they had no intention of considering any other potential tenancy arrangement (despite a recently handed down rental determination that had resulted in a significant rental increase) other than to a related party of the landlord.”

July 2020

Affidavit filed into the Supreme Court

• 8th July 2020 – SV Partners filed the following affidavit to the Supreme Court in relation to the conduct of the Block Arcade and namely Mr. Grant Cohen.
  • See highlights – in the affidavit – of the attempts the Block Arcade attempted to sabotage the sale campaign)

• 18th July – 21st Jul 2020 – The Block Arcade was negotiating with the Administrator for the purchase of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™. All negotiations failed.

• 22nd July 2020 – The Administrator accepted the highest offer from an interested party. The Block Arcade was not successful in purchasing the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™.

• 31st July 2020 – Heritage Victoria made contact with the Administrator advising that they had been alerted that the walls of the former Hopetoun Tea Rooms would be stripped of the wallpaper, carpets, and any other affixed and non-affixed items. The Administrator was put on notice. Heritage Victoria was alerted by the landlord of the Block Arcade, in an attempt to void the sale of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms in making the removal of assets, plant and equipment a laborious and difficult task.

More Details coming soon..

August 2020

Criminal Activity continues

• 20th August 2020 – A criminal act occurred on the premises of the former Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™

• Caught in the act, on CCTV / DVR security recorder.
  • A police report filed, including photos
  • The Block Arcade – Grant Cohen instructed the Block Arcade Security guard to access the premises of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ that was under the control of the Liquidator and take company assets, including the Menu that was sold – as part of the Intellectual Property.
  • I filed a Police report and SV Partners – Peter Gountzos was advised.

• SV Partners ignored my request as to the seriousness of the incident and to date, have refused to respond to any questions as to “What happened to the CCTV / DVR security recorder”

• (Below) – Caught in the act of stealing assets from the Hopetoun Tea Rooms est. 1892 ™ – Block Arcade security guard Mr. John Van Roohan – under instructions from Mr. Grant Cohen.

• 20th August 2020 – after the stealing of the company assets, SV Partners – staff – Christina Ferraro, attended the premises with Block Arcade – Grant Cohen.

• Mr. Grant Cohen, requested – to SV Partners – Christina Ferraro that the CCTV / DVR security recorder be shutdown & removed – to avoid any further recordings of the premises

• Christina Ferraro, breached the Administrator / Liquidator professional code of conduct and – agreed.

• (Below) – Caught in the act, the Block Arcade – Grant Cohen shutting down the CCTV / DVR system located in the Hopetoun Tea Rooms premises – assets of the company. Tampering with evidence to conceal the crime.

• The CCTV / DVR security recorder was all included as part of the “plant & equipment” – in the Information Memorandum that was distributed to all interested parties by SV Partners – Peter Gountzos & Christina Ferraro, for the sale of the Hopetoun Tea Rooms – on the 7th June 2020. (see below).

• The purchaser of the Business was not permitted to access the CCTV / DVR security recorder and cameras. This was purposely done, so that the evidence of the theft would be destroyed.

• When Mr. Grant Cohen was asked as to what occurred to the CCTV / DVR recorder he responded, under oath in court.

• Grant Cohen: Mr. Koutoumanos, again, all the assets belong to the Liquidator, a liquidator abandoned them. We disposed of them.

• Interesting response from Mr. Grant Cohen, who shifts the liability to SV Partners. A lot of finger pointing when Grant Cohen has been caught.

• Both the Block Arcade and SV Partners have committed theft of company assets and they have participated in concealing and tampering with evidence.

• Items taken at the minimum – List of items taken – IP Theft

More Details coming soon..