PHOTO: Hardeep Singh, pictured outside Woolston Super Liquor, owned by his friend Harjit Singh, after an aggravated robbery in 2015.David Walker / Stuff
Christchurch Liquor Baron Avoids Bankruptcy Amid Property Struggles
Hardeep Singh, the boss of the Big Daddy’s liquor store empire, and his wife Gauravjot Kaur, who together own nearly a dozen booze shops and pubs, have recently staved off liquidation and bankruptcy. Despite owning a multimillion-dollar property portfolio, the couple seems to struggle at times to pay their bills.
The couple’s extensive property holdings include their home—a $4 million mansion located on a 17,000 sqm section in the Magdalen Estates gated community in Yaldhurst. The two-storey estate boasts at least seven bedrooms, a theatre, wine cellar, games room, and sauna.
Last year, the Bush Inn shopping centre took Big Daddys Ltd to court over months of rent arrears. The mall owned land being tenanted by one of the couple’s businesses and sought to liquidate Singh’s company. He settled the debt in November, only after borrowing funds from a friend in Australia, according to his lawyer at the time.
Additionally, both Singh and Kaur faced bankruptcy proceedings filed against them by Inland Revenue over unpaid tax. The matter was settled after IRD took security over two commercial properties the couple owned in a trust.
When contacted by The Press, Singh confirmed he had settled with IRD by way of two properties, stating they were not liquor stores. He then declined to comment further, citing confidentiality. Kaur could not be reached for comment.
The couple’s property portfolio previously included two retirement homes with a combined rateable value of over $6 million. They have since sold Homesteadcare Ilam and Bloomfield Court to new owners.
Singh and Kaur have a history of failing to pay restaurant staff wages and holiday pay, totaling $50,000, according to Employment Relations Authority (ERA) case decisions. Labour Inspectorate complaints were made against Big Daddy’s Liquor in 2015 and 2018 alleging underpayment of staff, but investigations did not proceed due to lack of formal statements from complainants.
In April 2020, Super Liquor ended their franchise agreement with Big Daddy’s due to “zero tolerance” for employee exploitation.
In mid-2023, police and Christchurch liquor licensing inspectors, supported by Immigration and the Labour Inspector, launched a joint operation to have Singh and Kaur ousted from the liquor industry by cancelling their licenses. Allegations included underpaying workers and inadequate records. While Singh’s conduct was found to be below required standards, the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA) decided not to cancel their licenses due to uncertainties in data calculations. Instead, the couple’s manager’s certificates and liquor licenses were suspended for a short period.
SOURCE: THE PRESS