48 couples have been left scrambling to reorganise their weddings after a popular Tasmanian venue went into liquidation following council permit breaches.
Hidden Garden Estate at Berriedale notified couples by email on Friday November 7 that Glenorchy City Council had advised them late the previous Thursday they were in breach of their home business permit.
The notice, titled “Sad”, initially gave couples three options: proceed under strict new permit conditions, postpone to a later date or cancel and receive a full refund.
The new restrictions were severe, according to the venue. Only owner Diane Burrows could conduct ceremonies, guest numbers were capped at 60 and just two vendors were allowed on site.
“DJ, photo booth, live music, wedding planners, event hire suppliers and similar services are all classified as vendors,” the notice read.
Couples were given until close of business Monday 10 November to decide how to proceed.
By this afternoon, the venue had confirmed it was closing permanently and entering liquidation.
Owners Shan Strus and Diane Burrows said the council’s stringent terms had effectively forced couples to cancel.
“The authority initiating stringent terms that effectively caused couples to vote for refunds, has forced us to close the business,” they said in a statement.
They said they had sought a reprieve from council but were refused.
“We tried to obtain some concession from the local authority to support existing weddings, but our request was not accepted,” they said.
The owners described the council’s decision as “grossly unreasonable” and said they had pointed out the “catastrophe” couples would face.
The venue has now been handed over to liquidators, who will manage refunds through the sale of assets.
For some couples, the timing couldn’t be worse.
One couple’s wedding was scheduled for 15 November, just eight days after the initial notice, while another has their big day planned for November 22.
“With seven days notice we are struggling to reorganise our day,” said one couple, now desperately seeking bar staff for their replacement venue.
Wedding photographer Cameron Jones, whose own wedding is scheduled for 29 November, said he and his fiancée were “in shock” after hearing the news about their venue.
“We’re absolutely gutted. I don’t even know how this is possible,” he said.
But the wedding community has rallied behind those affected. One affected couple said they had received four separate venue options within 24 hours of the cancellation.
“We are amazed of the wedding community and so grateful for the support between everyone and for the businesses that have reached out to us,” they said.
Multiple venues have stepped up to help, including Plenty Cider in the Derwent Valley and Ratho Farm at Bothwell, which said it was “bending over backwards to assist all impacted”.
