It is believed prominent furniture designer Jason Bonham owes more than $50,000 in rent, rates and insurance after recently closing Bonham Gallery in Buckingham St.
Mr Bonham, who is now operating in Sydney, said he might be one or two months in arrears, but says he hoped to square the ledger after the lease was sold.
‘‘We haven’t done a runner - it’s been more negotiating around who’s going to be going in there next and making sure we get the right contribution towards that lease negotiation which covers off anything that’s potentially outstanding.’’
It is understood leading New Zealand footwear designer Kathryn Wilson will be the next tenant.
Arrowtown realtor Richard Newman said Mr Bonham had left town suddenly.
As the building’s previous lessee - basing his former real estate company there - he is liable under New Zealand law for any rent and other expenses owed to the landlord if the subsequent tenant defaults.
‘‘It’s very disappointing, because you don’t just leave town like that.
‘‘If you’re having trouble paying the rent, you should come and see the landlord, which he didn't do.
‘‘I’m in the gun right now, which is not a good place to be in, but that’s the law of the land and you’ve got to run with it.’’
Mr Bonham denies he disappeared overnight.
‘‘This has been happening over a period of like a month or something. It was actually quite a while. So, yeah, we were already having things being sent over to Australia.’’
Mr Bonham said he had spent almost $250,000 on the building in less than three years with no landlord contribution.
‘‘We did a massive job on it. We changed the floors, upgraded all the walls, upgraded the ceiling, put in new HVAC, new lighting, retiled all the back areas, re-gibbed and lined and insulated the whole thing, new bathrooms. We’ve maintained the building beautifully.’’
However, he said it still leaked.
He said earthquake-strengthening was also pending which would have meant shutting down for six months or more - ‘‘it would have been an absolute nightmare’’.
‘‘It was just going to be problematic. We would love to have stayed there, but it just didn’t make commercial sense.’’
Mr Bonham was also hoping an incoming tenant would contribute towards his fit out cost.
Landlord John Guthrie refused to comment, saying it was a commercial matter.
