Breakthrough in toxic dispute over Sydney Fish Market
Sydney Fish Market told its existing tenants in an email on Thursday that 'the significant majority' of them, including all seafood retailers, had signed leases for the new site, and certification had been ticked off for them to access the premises and commence their fitout works.
Infrastructure NSW anticipated the building handover to occur on 11 November, 'facilitating an opening prior to Christmas', the email said. Management has privately told its tenants that trading could begin in mid-December.
The agreement breaks a long-running deadlock between the Sydney Fish Market and its tenants, who have been invoiced with costs ranging from several hundred thousand to a few million dollars for their fitouts, though they claim the building is not fit for purpose.
Among their complaints are that the government's contribution to services such as plumbing, electrical and mechanical work is capped at a figure beneath their requirements and has not been indexed, leaving them exposed when building costs rose during and after COVID.
They are also concerned that the power supply will be inadequate and that the allowance given to restaurants for mechanical exhaust falls short of their needs, forcing them to reduce their equipment or pay for more capacity.
Their refusal to sign their new leases had left open the possibility of legal action on the basis they had not been offered 'like for like' premises under the terms of their lease agreements.
The Herald can reveal that former tenant Vic's Meats reached a confidential settlement with the Sydney Fish Market on Monday, four months after the butcher abruptly closed its doors a day before Good Friday, the busiest trading day of the year.
Business owner Anthony Puharich posted on social media an image of the new market covered by a red cross and cited an 'irreparable breakdown' in his relationship with the Sydney Fish Market behind his decision to depart the site.
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