Late-night revellers are reeling today with the news that two popular Sydney Oportos in Newtown and Darling Harbour have collapsed into liquidation. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has exerted its authority, forcing the outlets to either settle a $500,000 tax arrear or cease operations.

The restaurant franchise is famous for its Portuguese-style grilled chicken and Bondi Burgers.

Jevnt Pty Ltd and Pymz Pty Ltd, the entities behind the two Oporto franchises were driven into liquidation on Friday, February 16. This action followed the ATO’s issuance of a notice to their director, Ming Zhong, demanding the settlement of outstanding taxes.

Henry McKenna of Vincents, the appointed liquidator, informed news.com.au that the enterprises collectively owed the ATO between $400,000 and $500,000. He further disclosed that Zhong had previously received a director penalty notice from the ATO, which provided a 21-day window to either clear the debt or enter liquidation.

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Non-compliance with this directive would have rendered Zhong personally responsible for the tax obligation.

Following the liquidation, the Oporto store in Newtown, located in Sydney’s inner west, was closed last Friday and has remained non-operational.

McKenna noted that the Darling Harbour store had been closed for over a year due to its location in the Harbourside Shopping Centre, which has been under redevelopment since January 2023.

The closure of the Newtown store impacts approximately 20 casual or part-time employees, as well as countless bar-crawlers looking for their late night Bondi Burger fix.

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