POPULAR Adelaide hotel The Crown & Sceptre has called last drinks with estimated debts of more than $1 million.

Liquidator Peter Macks, from Macks Advisory, said a downturn in trade, higher labour, electricity, liquor and input costs had created mounting debts for the 11-year-old business operated by "cocktail wizard" Andrew McDowell.

Watering hole for lawyers and judges and a proud poker machine-free music venue, the Crown & Sceptre was a 2011 national finalist in the Annual Bar Awards for Hotel of the Year and 2010 runner-up for Australia's best publican, the hotel last traded on Monday.

The business had been on the market after trading declined by 10 per cent on the previous year on top of a previous three lean years driven by lower customer levels and less spend per customer, as well as increased competition, Mr Macks confirmed.

"The only thing coming from the meetings that I've had is I'm certainly quite hopeful (of a sale of the licence) and have been surprised about the positive interest in the business," he said, adding that "the position is ideal and prominent". Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said there would be a "life after" for the site.

"Someone will pick up a cheap hotel but the consequences will be the current staff will simply be terminated," he said.

"There'll be suppliers who wouldn't have been paid, bands have been booked. It's a reflection of the problems in the industry," he said.

The closure follows in the wake of the Dublin and Holdfast hotels, in Glenelg and the Talbot on Gouger St, being placed in receivership in May, while The Producers Hotel on Grenfell St had been closed for several months.

"Will there be more? We don't know but it would be naive to say there won't be," Mr Horne said.

"Some people are under serious pressure."

Mr Horne said revenues from machines were no insulator, with overall annual revenues $2 million lower, at $747 million last year, than seven years ago.

Meanwhile, a $13,620 debt owed by Grace The Establishment licensee JC Nominees to supplier AMJ Produce at Wingfield has been paid, dismissing a process to wind up the company in the Federal Court yesterday.

Why does no one seem concerned that we are about to hand a trial to a fraud? It is going to make us a laughing stock

Well if the club got hold of it then it would still end up full of lawyers - but I don't care as long as they spent money ;)

This should be the target of the club in conjunction with Coopers (if they still want to be involved with us long term) as a way of getting a licensed venue in the city.

They responded to you pretty quickly on Adelaide Reds. Pretty much saying such a venue is not viable in this economy.

Because it's exactly what you said it is, a trial.

If he's shit, we send him home, if he's good, bingo.

If we had offered $150,000 a season for him, yes I'd be worried, but worst case he doesn't get a gig, best case we get a good player on our books.

Yep, Glenn is pretty good - I always enjoy the careful way he responds to things ;)

I hope he doesn't mistake me for one of the people who expect that the club will jump on all these things - I was more highlighting that these are possibilities, and it is obvious that they would be more interested in a venue that has both a liquor and gaming license rather than just a liquor license.

Adelaide's popular Crown & Sceptre closes with debts exceeding $1 million


This should be the target of the club in conjunction with Coopers (if they still want to be involved with us long term) as a way of getting a licensed venue in the city.

Why does no one seem concerned that we are about to hand a trial to a fraud? It is going to make us a laughing stock

Tbh I think he's probably just happy to see some questions that aren't to do with you know who ;)

Well I, for one, have confidence in the coaching staff ( there's no other option really )

I read about them also trialing a US player, whose played @ U18, U20 and U23 level and a guy based in Sydney that played in Portugal

Yes that is the potential fraud we are talking about.

I don't get why people are getting so worried, it is only a trial.

Well I, for one, have confidence in the coaching staff ( there's no other option really )

I read about them also trialing a US player, whose played @ U18, U20 and U23 level and a guy based in Sydney that played in Portugal

So it doesn't matter that we fly players in without actually knowing anything about them or checking their back story?

It's a trial. The whole point of a trial is to see if they can play or not.

Do we actually pay for them to fly in? That would be the only issue I'd have with it.

Unfortunately, this guy did none of those things. Yes, there are other options mate. I don't want the club I support to look like amateurs because someone can't be bothered to check if a person's back story is true or not

I just go along and watch the football. I also attend some members meetings where we, the assembled, get +ves from Glen, the coaching staff and the membership co-ordinator. They work within the environment inhabited by the players and whatever political stuff the FFA do. So I have no reason to doubt them as they know much more than me about goings on, in short I rely on sites such as this: The gossip, innuendo and wisdom of guys who give truthful, balanced stories like your good-self.

I too have chosen to support a professional club from my home town, and do not want amateur theatrics.
So what are these options of which you speak?
The only one that comes to my mind is to just stop watching and cheering for them, and I'm not ready to do that - YET

Edited by redcup: 19/7/2012 08:14:46 PM

Do we actually pay for them to fly in? That would be the only issue I'd have with it.

"He's been recommended to us," Petrillo said. `He's paying his own way here."

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/soccer/reds-poised-to-sign-mystery-argentinian/story-fnddhv0x-1226430046164

Would u takr feedback from people when u r pumping your own hard earned cash into the club? I know i wouldnt, i would do exactly whatever i wanted to do

Unfortunately we have a bunch of uneducated people (in football terms) running the club. They sacked all the people with knowledge and experience and then wonder why the crowds dip. At the of the day, any club who lets marcos flores go after winning the johhny warren medal in less than 2 seasons has no fucking idea wat they are doing.

Im pretty sure im not renewing my membership this season.thats the only feedback they will listen to - less money

I've renewed my membership because I support the club. I ain't no whinger who bails when things don't go their way. I have a voice at the AGM which I intend to use to express my concerns and opinions and voice suggestions which the club may or may not take on board. But that's the beauty of it all - we all have a choice.

Yes I am disappointed you have decided not to renew or purchase a season ticket, but in the end at least I can say I did something FOR the club.

And you can do all that because our current owners implemented it. Our previous owners never even flaunted the idea.

We have a membership structure, members meetings, an AGM, and an official Supporters Committee that gets the fans closer to the club, it's players, staff and board members than ever before.