Companies linked to Hooters Australia fall into voluntary administration

Several companies with ties to entertainment venue Hooters Australia have fallen into voluntary administration, including five companies linked to individual restaurants in New South Wales and Queensland.

According to notices published by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Hoot Australia entered voluntary administration on Tuesday, with Neil Cussen and David Lombe from Deloitte appointed to manage the administration.

Cussen and Lombe have also been appointed administrators of Hoot Campbelltown, trading as Hooters of Campbelltown; Hoot Parramatta, trading as Hooters of Parramatta; Hoot Penrith, trading as Hooters of Penrith; Hoot Townsville and Hoot Gold Coast.

The company numbers of these five entities match those previously listed on the Hooters Australia website and seen by SmartCompany this morning. However, the ‘Our Locations’ page on the Hooters Australia website is not currently available.

A spokesperson for Hooters Australia told SmartCompany this morning all Hooters Australia restaurants are still trading and said the Hooters franchise in Australia is owned by a different entity that is separate for the companies that have been listed in the ASIC notices.

Hooters, which is based on the popular US chain of bars, first opened in Australia in July 2006, with a flagship venue at Parramatta.

Hooters of Penrith opened in June 2011 and the third Sydney venue in Campbelltown opened in January 2012.

The Gold Coast venue opened in July 2014, while the Townsville bar opened in May this year.

SmartCompany has contacted Deloitte for comment.