Staff axed at Jon Adgemis-linked pubs amid fresh payroll woes
Hospitality venues tied to troubled pub baron Jon Adgemis are again in the spotlight, with several staff let go this week and fresh concerns over payroll delays.
Linchpin Hospitality, the company now running several former Public Hospitality Group venues, including The Empire Hotel in Annandale, The Lady Hampshire and the upcoming Noah’s Backpackers in Bondi, has reportedly sacked staff following cash flow problems. Among those affected is celebrity chef George Calombaris, who has found himself caught up in another restaurant payroll controversy.
The dismissals follow an internal email from Linchpin chief executive Terry Soukoulis, dated 17 June and seen by The Daily Telegraph, which warned of delays in receiving funding.
“Unfortunately there has been a delay in receiving funds from our overseas lending partners, which has impacted on the timing of the payroll run,” Soukoulis wrote. “I fully appreciate the stress and uncertainty this can cause and want to acknowledge the weight of that.”
Soukoulis confirmed four full-time staff from Linchpin’s marketing team were let go on Wednesday and attributed the move to the business’s financial challenges, reportedly linked to Deutsche Bank, a key backer of Adgemis’ remaining venues.
“Venues will continue to operate,” he said. “We are contractors.”
A Linchpin spokesperson added: “As a business there were measures taken to realign due to the current revenue situation. We are working with the relevant team members on their separation payments and entitlements.”
Calombaris, who designed the menu for The Empire Hotel’s Chinese-Australian restaurant Double Happy, told The Daily Telegraph: “I am currently working on my own pop up at the moment called Gazi in Darlinghurst, which is independent of Linchpin.”
Jonathan Jackson, 3rd July 2025
