Ocean View served diners at Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club for nearly four years and its owners had hoped to sell the successful business.

But the surf club refused to extend the lease to either of the two buyers restaurateurs Joe Spiteri and Grant Bendeich had found. 

Club president Brett Woods said it was Mr Spiteri and Mr Bendeich’s choice not to stay on at the end of their lease. But Mr Woods declined to say why the board wouldn’t extend a lease to either of potential buyers.

“I’m not at liberty to hand out that information,” he said.  

The Ocean View sale contract, signed in January, was nulled when a lease agreement could not be made.

A second buyer was found and the sale contract was signed in May. But, the club again refused to lease the Ocean View space to the new buyer.

“We had two options,” Mr Spiteri said. “Either vacate at the end of our lease or successfully install a buyer.

“Despite contracts of sale being signed both times, our committed purchaser was unable to secure a lease with the surf club prior to our vacating and clearance deadline.”

The stalemate has raised suspicions the club wishes to install a different restaurant operator altogether. But Mr Woods would only confirm that the club had put the space out to tender.

“The people who put a tender in will need to show what they plan to do with it,” he said. 

He also defended the club’s position in its dealings with the Ocean View owners.

“It’s been done all within the guidelines of a Crown Lands site, which is guidelines we abide by.”

Mr Spiteri and Mr Bendeich thanked their staff and the patrons that had helped make the business a success. 

Mr Bendeich said he was thankful that he and Mr Spiteri were still “good mates” at the end of their business venture.