Popular children's play centre collapses with more than $1.5million in debt
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A popular children's play centre has collapsed with $1.5million in debt, a year after it was called out for expensive food and admission prices.
Adventure Land in Palmerston, southeast of Darwin, fell into administration on August 21.
The three-storey play centre had operated since January, 2019, hosting children's birthday parties, as well as having a dine-in cafe.
Adventure Land had been a popular stop for families in the Gateway Shopping Centre, with adults entering for free and tickets for kids costing $15.
But a report this month from administrator Chris Cook, from insolvency firm Worrells, revealed the company has unsecured debts of over $1,520,000.
Creditors include the Australian Taxation Office, customers, staff and trustees of the Gateway shopping centre.
Gateway is understood to be owed $1.2million while the ATO is owed $295,000. Staff are owed $20,000 in unpaid wages, superannuation and leave entitlements.
Mr Cook said the director of the company 'advised that the business began to experience financial difficulty as a consequence of the Covid pandemic and the subsequent financial impact this had on the business'.
Adventure Land in Palmerston, southeast of Darwin, fell into administration on August 21
'In our view, the company should be wound up,' Mr Cook said in the report.
One customer who is owed $563 said he was told to pay up front for his daughter's birthday party at Adventure Land just two days before it collapsed.
'I received an email reminder on the Tuesday to pay the outstanding amount and made the final payment,' he said.
'On the Thursday, I received an email from Worrells Group informing me that Adventure Land was no longer trading and a subsequent email informed me they were in Voluntary Administration.'
Adventure Land had also garnered several one-star reviews online, most complaining about the lack of balls in the ball pit and the interactive screen breaking down.
Adventure Land's website and Facebook page has been deleted.
It comes after a mother lashed out at the play centre after an expensive family day in August last year.
After ordering a bowl of chips, a chicken parmigiana, a bowl of nuggets, a small cup of gravy and two small drinks, she was shocked to see a $63.40 bill.
She was 'not impressed' by the exorbitant costs and took to social media to ask if the prices were usually so steep.
A mother has been left shocked by a $63 meal at a children's play centre in Darwin, claiming she will only be cooking at home from now on with food prices skyrocketing
'(I) will probably just be cooking from home from now on and taking it with us, it's getting insanely expensive,' the mother wrote.
The post sparked the attention of numerous other parents who had been to the play centre and were also surprised by the food prices.
'Shocking right, as if the entry fee isn't expensive enough,' one user wrote.
'Yep, normal, we don't eat there for obvious reasons,' another wrote, confirming the prices were standard for the business.
Others noted that the business was able to set prices of their food at their own discretion to pay for wages, maintenance and other business costs.
'Adventureland food is expensive, and playground food is expensive because their prices are what pays their staff and rent,' one parent wrote.
The Northern Territory mother ordered a bowl of chips, a chicken parmigiana, a bowl of nuggets, a side of gravy and two small drinks. Pictured is the meal
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