Downtown Hamilton restaurant Nique files for bankruptcy

A downtown Hamilton restaurant that's made headlines for bucking COVID rules has filed for bankruptcy.

Nique Restaurant Inc. filed for an assignment in bankruptcy" on Dec. 29, 2021, according to a notice of insolvency that ran in The Spectator on Wednesday.

The notice provides few details about the bankruptcy, but notes that the first meeting of creditors of the business will be held later this month in Burlington.

In an email to The Spectator, owner Harrison Hennick said the decision to file for bankruptcy was based on the restaurant having a debt that was completely insurmountable." He said the move was unrelated to the pandemic.

The business has actually been incredibly lucrative throughout the last year," he said in the email.

The restaurant had previously announced on social media that it would be closed as of Dec. 29, but neither a reason nor length was given for the closure.

Hennick previously confirmed in an email to The Spectator that the restaurant would be temporarily closed until the second week of January to protect myself and my staff from the anxiety and stress (unjust mandates and regulations) were in (sic) has created."

Hennick wrote that the closure would give both him and staff time to be with their families.

Some staff members have chosen to move on and look for other work as they can't afford to miss two weeks of income," he wrote.

The notice's appearance comes amid a tumultuous time for the restaurant.

The Vine Street eatery gained notoriety last fall after Hennick told The Spectator he would not be enforcing the province's proof-of-vaccination mandate that was introduced in mid-September.

The restaurant was later temporarily closed amid a Ministry of Labour investigation and faced several charges under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA).

The business had also been listed for sale on Realtor.ca, but the listing has since been removed.

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com