Ping Lee Chinese Food, a family eatery at Kiara International Food Hall in Perth, closed as parts of the site were redeveloped for a standalone Chicken Treat. Its operator, Simon Sui, told PerthNow that the short-notice closure would cost him his income and leave him looking for other work. The Bottle-O was to remain on the site and be refurbished with drive-through works.
Why was the Kiara food hall redeveloped?
The plan replaced demolished sections of Kiara International Food Hall with a standalone Chicken Treat, while retaining the liquor store for refurbishment and a drive-through addition. City of Swan deputy mayor Ian Johnson described the proposal to PerthNow as including a new outlet where the demolished sections stood. His comments described the proposed project; they do not establish that permits had already been issued.
PerthNow reported that Pitts Design and Construction announced in late December 2023 that it had won a design-and-construct contract for the Chicken Treat and Bottle-O refurbishment. At the time of the report, published January 25, 2024, Johnson said the city had not issued a demolition or building permit and that a demolition date was not confirmed. PerthNow’s report is the source for those contemporaneous details.
What happened to Ping Lee Chinese Food and its operator?
Ping Lee Chinese Food was the affected family business, operated by Simon Sui. Sui told PerthNow that he had heard rumours about the redevelopment for months but was not formally notified until shortly before Christmas 2023. He said: “The manager never mentioned anything to us until just before Christmas, so it’s definitely not the best thing to happen especially before Christmas.”
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Sui said the closure would take away his income: “I will lose my income and so I will have to start looking for something else.” He also described the financial pressure of winding down a food business on short notice: “In the food industry you have a lot of stock and we have a very short period of time to catch up with all the credit lines, so it does leave us in a difficult situation.” These are Sui’s statements as quoted by PerthNow, not findings about the lease or the parties’ legal obligations.
When was Ping Lee’s last trading day?
PerthNow’s January 25, 2024 article gives two different dates. Its opening says January 28 would be Ping Lee’s final trading day; a later passage says Sui had initially been told January 19 and obtained an extension to January 29. The article does not resolve that discrepancy, so a single final day cannot be stated confidently from that report.
Did Chicken Treat replace the food hall?
Later posts from the project builder and the company show that redevelopment moved ahead. Pitts Design and Construction said demolition was underway at Kiara Retail Centre for the incoming Chicken Treat, with retained sections being integrated for a Bottle-O drive-through lane. Chicken Treat Australia subsequently announced that its Kiara store had opened at 149 Morley Drive East, describing it as the chain’s 64th store. The store count is the company’s own figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the reporting does—and does not—establish
The available reporting documents Sui’s account of the timing and personal financial impact, the stated project scope, and the later opening of the Chicken Treat. It does not include Ping Lee’s lease, a formal notice, the redevelopment approval file, or a court or tribunal decision. It therefore does not establish whether Sui was legally entitled to more notice, whether compensation was due, or who was contractually responsible for notifying him. The account should not be treated as a proven unlawful termination or procedural violation.
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