Wharfside Eatery | Victoria | 1208 Wharf St.

[Rorschach]

You're right about the tourists buying Coors Light. I've seen that at at every pub in town. Maybe they can gimmick the menu with all the standard American choices and create a cross-reference Canadian conversion table. Molson Canadian = Budweiser, Coors = Labatt's and so on. Same with the booze, Iceberg = Stolichnaya, and on down the line with all the comparable Canadian versions.

I'm with G-Man, whenever I travel I always try the local stuff.

[Holden West]

Originally Posted by G-Man

^ I have never gone to another country and tried to order Molson or Labatts.

Tha's true, but you are not the typical tourist, you have sophisticated tastes.

G-Man:

[G-Man]

That is from my recent trip to Ireland, I chose to wear the green jacket to try and fit in. Also you can see the Irish Whiskey in my hand.

[gumgum]

^Did you get the beats for dressing like that out there?

[VicHockeyFan]

Morrison said he has no plans to leave the hospitality business after the inn is out of his hands. When asked whether he is worried about his reputation as a business owner, Morrison said, "It's a little late for that."

http://www.timescolonist.com/Money+t...872/story.html

Money troubles force closing of English Inn; employees, suppliers not paid

Curious case of Mr. Morrison: Businessman's trail of debt leaves employees and contractors in the cold, well-known properties near collapse

Financial problems have forced the closing of the English Inn and its well-regarded dining room.

After two months of not being paid, employees of the English Inn and Resort and the Rosemeade dining room in Esquimalt find themselves in an unenviable position: At the end of a very long list of people, businesses and governments owed money by troubled Victoria businessman Duncan Morrison.

Richard Luttman, a talented chef lured from Las Vegas to head the Rosemeade's kitchen, hasn't been paid since the beginning of December and is short thousands of dollars in outstanding wages.

So too is Cathy Samuel, who spent eight years employed by Morrison, working her way up to a managerial position at the inn. She says she confronted him about the $7,000 she's owed, but he accused her of stealing the money; shortly afterward, she went on stress leave and nearly missed a trip to India with her husband because she didn't have the money to pay for it.

Also out wages are Laurie Coleman's two teenage children who had jobs at the inn. In mid-December, Coleman realized her kids, 17-year-old Brandon, a dishwasher, and 15-year-old Kirsten, a housekeeper, hadn't seen a paycheque since Nov. 22.

"I'm phoning and asking and the staff said nobody's getting paid at this time," Coleman said in an interview in her modest Esquimalt home.

She confronted Morrison, demanding he pay her son. Morrison cut Brandon a cheque for $254.40 but when he cashed it the next day, the payment was stopped. Brandon's bank account was already overdrawn so the fee for the bounced cheque came out of his mother's account.

These are only the most recent complaints against Morrison, owner of the inn and of downtown's Wharfside Eatery, former owner of the Dominion Hotel, and a businessman whose years of financial problems seem to be catching up to him.

Luttman confirmed the Rosemeade's three cooks and two dishwashers and most of the inn staff have not been paid since early December. Staff was told Dec. 31 that the acclaimed Rosemeade dining room was closing indefinitely, he said.

They've been in the dark since then, some not even able to get the record of employment documents that qualify them for employment insurance.

"Nobody really knows what's going to happen," Luttman said. "I just told my guys to start looking for new work."

On a bright afternoon, Morrison, dressed in black jeans and a leather jacket, walks around the English Inn and Resort -- formally the Olde England Inn -- and conjures up the dreams he once had for the Tudor-style estate on Lampson Street.

He shows off the $1.5-million state-of-the-art kitchen, rubbing his palm over the burgundy bone china tiles and stainless steel appliances.

"It has everything a talented chef would require in this kitchen," he says.

Outside in the courtyard he brags about a set of delicate stone steps that appear to be floating. "You could buy a brand new car for what this cost."

Morrison, who agreed to be interviewed but refused to have his photograph taken, finally makes his way back inside, to the extravagantly decorated Rosemeade fine dining restaurant. "This is where I threw everything I had and then some."

"I spent millions we had and millions we didn't on this," he said of the inn. "The property was meant to be developed into one of the country's finest luxury properties. I didn't have the horse power to get it done. The tank ran empty."

In September 2007, Morrison struck a deal with Mandalay Developments and Calgary-based Bellstar Developments and agreed to sell the Inn for $8.5 million.

The partners, who took on the name Rosemeade Limited Partnership, had $80-million plans to turn the 1.75-hectare property into a four-star, 103-unit strata hotel. In January 2008, they backed out because of financing troubles...

http://www.timescolonist.com/Money+t...872/story.html

[Holden West]

^Oh, my God, that Morrison. I am overdosing on schadenfreude right now.

[victorian fan]

Does this include Anne Hathaway's Cottage?

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by victorian fan

Does this include Anne Hathaway's Cottage?

Yes.

[yodsaker]

How do guys like this get away with stiffing people, running up mountains of bad debts and general financial irresponsibility/incompetence?
He's well-known around town but somehow people would lend to him when other people can't even get a car loan.

[spanky123]

Originally Posted by yodsaker

How do guys like this get away with stiffing people, running up mountains of bad debts and general financial irresponsibility/incompetence?
He's well-known around town but somehow people would lend to him when other people can't even get a car loan.

My friend you obviously live under a rock!

There are lots of well known, irresponsible, incompetent people in town who routinely stiff their employees and suppliers. People keep lending them money and entering into business deals because they are greedy and think that they will at least be able to get their money out before the next wave of poop hits the fan.

[rjag]

I think its great that he is being 'called out'. This guy has been playing this game for more than 25 years.

I bet the TC lawyers must have been going through the article very carefully to ensure he cant attempt a lawsuit against them.

[Holden West]

C'mon guys, get out your tiny violins and play a sympathetic tune for poor old Duncan:

Another side to Morrison's sad story

Times Colonist
February 6, 2009

I was saddened when I read Katie DeRosa's article "Curious case of Mr. Morrison," (Feb. 1). I remembered a time when I was 17 and my wages from my dishwashing job were unpaid due to the bankruptcy of the restaurant where I was employed. It was hard to comprehend the unfairness of that event, so my heart goes out to all the persons and businesses hoping for their fair compensation.

However, irrespective of that feeling, I am compelled to state that the article lacked perspective by only shedding light on the spectacle of Duncan Morrison's downfall.

In his prime, Morrison employed about 500 people and had contracts with hundreds of businesses in this city generating substantial economic benefit for our local economy. In 20-plus years of dealings with him, my total invoices amounted to about $200,000. They were paid when due.

Had Morrison achieved his grand goal, many of us would have benefited greatly from the economic spinoff of his success. He's a true entrepreneur and took the risk of his life. He bet it all. It has cost him a small personal fortune, the Dominion Hotel, his wife and reputation. He's now humbled and is trying to make the best of the situation.

All of us should pray that he gets out of this mess because, on balance, he's done a lot of very beneficial things for our local economy and his entrepreneurial spirit would be missed.

Randal Phipps

Victoria

[hotdoglegz]

Randal Phipps is the owner of Kabuki Kabs. His drivers had a deal with Warf Side that would pay the pedicab drivers for each customer or party sent to "Victoria's Number 1 Seafood Restaurant."

[Holden West]

Originally Posted by Holden West

He's a true entrepreneur and took the risk of his life. He bet it all. It has cost him a small personal fortune, the Dominion Hotel, his wife and reputation. He's now humbled and is trying to make the best of the situation.

He makes it sound as if Morrison had an unfortunate end to a long glorious career. The fact is, this is just the latest in a long history of behaviour that treated the livelihoods of his employees and suppliers like the playthings of an immature prince.

Let`s hear from the former employees that would rush to Morrison`s bank to cash their paycheques the minute they recieived them. Let`s hear from the restaurant suppliers that had a strict cash-up-front-or-I`ll-drive-my-truck-back delivery policy with Morrison.

[spanky123]

You can add the name alongside "loan to own Al", "contracts are for suckers Tony", and "John, the original '50 cent'" and you will just start to scratch the long, long list of local "businesspeople" who make their living off of the backs of others.

[osmich]

Kabuki Kabs and Wharfside — both part of the sleazy game of tourism here in Victoria. You could add The Garlic Rose to that list also, that guy was forced to close because he owed $450K in taxes, including penalties, that he forgot (oops) to submit. Interesting, two sleazy restaurant operators right across the street from each other.

Kabuki drivers bringing tourists to the Wharfside? That tells you what kind of clientelle goes to Wharfside!

[spanky123]

Not that I am trying to defend Kabuki, but if you go to any tourist town you will find everyone from the concierge, to the cab driver, to the kabuki dude all getting paid kickbacks to refer tourists to restaurants and clubs.

[osmich]

Originally Posted by spanky123

Not that I am trying to defend Kabuki, but if you go to any tourist town you will find everyone from the concierge, to the cab driver, to the kabuki dude all getting paid kickbacks to refer tourists to restaurants and clubs.

Oh, no doubt you will see these kinds of things going on everywhere. And when you call them "kick backs" that says that the cabbies don't give a **** where they send the people as long as they are making dough or getting free meals, who cares.

[guyinthesky]

Originally Posted by osmich

Oh, no doubt you will see these kinds of things going on everywhere. And when you call them "kick backs" that says that the cabbies don't give a **** where they send the people as long as they are making dough or getting free meals, who cares.

Actually...as a previous Kabuki Kab driver back in my high school days...I be to differ...When I rode the cabs, a good 5 years ago, we very rarely ever took people to Wharfside, there was a few of the old school guys/gals that did, but most of the time we'd send them to other resturants because after the tourists had a happy, delightful meal and wanted a bit more of a tour of town, they'd have the resturant call the Kabuki Kabber that had dropped them off to continue a tour, and you'd wind up with a nice big fat tip, a lot better than anything any of the "cliche" resturants would offer. Yes there were "kick backs" but that word is synomous with corruption, and there is nothing corrupt about offering a hospitality worker an incentive for sending someone to a certain resturant its how the industry works, referrals...By saying people don't give a ****, or just sent people where they could get a quick buck, I think you are vastly mistaken and need to look at the big picture from the workers point of view. I've also worked in several of the higher end hotels in this town as a bellhop, front desk clerk, front desk manager and concierge...If I sent a client of the hotels to a ****ty resturant that was going to give me a free meal or $5 and they had ****ty service or food, and I could have sent the client to an equally better place and wound up getting a larger more substantial tip from the client because they were happy and appreciated my knowledge, which one do you think I'm going to pick?...AND many of those in the hospitality industry when the incentives are offered, will go try out the service, if it isn't up to par, we generally never suggested it. I only ever got incentives from one company in town in the years I worked in hospitality and that was from Springtide Whale Watching, because they were the best outfit around and I'd send people all the time, and those HAPPY people would come back and offer me, tips of cash, booze etc...

[julienne]

Originally Posted by Holden West

He makes it sound as if Morrison had an unfortunate end to a long glorious career. The fact is, this is just the latest in a long history of behaviour that treated the livelihoods of his employees and suppliers like the playthings of an immature prince.

Let`s hear from the former employees that would rush to Morrison`s bank to cash their paycheques the minute they recieived them. Let`s hear from the restaurant suppliers that had a strict cash-up-front-or-I`ll-drive-my-truck-back delivery policy with Morrison.

Hear hear. And also the ones that never saw a cent of their pay, their tips, their overtime, their holiday pay. The students, the single moms, the suppliers, the contractors. A true disgrace to the industry.

[Holden West]

I heard that Wharfside is now rebranding itself as Joey's Seafood or something. I think Morrison is still involved (shudder) but I'm not certain.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Holden West

I heard that Wharfside is now rebranding itself as Joey's Seafood or something. I think Morrison is still involved (shudder) but I'm not certain.

I was standing across the street the other day actually, and looking at all the sings, I think I only saw WHARFSIDE on one of the several. But no Joey's. I'll take another look today, I have to go down to Bastion Square.

[goke]

Is the Warfside connected to the old BoomBoom below it?
I saw guys gutting Boom today, filling a big bin in the parking lot. Anybody know what could be going in this windowless bunker?

[Holden West]

I don't think there's any connection, legally, economically or physically.

Last we heard from that downstairs place, Matt McNeill was planning on turning it into a pub with an eastern theme (Maritimes, not Turkish). That was a couple of years ago.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by goke

Is the Warfside connected to the old BoomBoom below it?
I saw guys gutting Boom today, filling a big bin in the parking lot. Anybody know what could be going in this windowless bunker?

It has a few windows out to the water.