Kamloops airport goes after cafe owner for $167K in unpaid rent

The Kamloops airport won in court last year when it sought to be repaid for around $167,000 in unpaid lease fees, but not a penny has been paid out. That's according to a recently filed notice of civil claim that now looks to have the owner of a former cafe personally liable...

Kamloops airport goes after cafe owner for $167K in unpaid rent
The Kamloops airport won in court last year when it sought to be repaid for around $167,000 in unpaid lease fees, but not a penny has been paid out. That's according to a recently filed notice of civil claim that now looks to have the owner of a former cafe personally liable for the unpaid bill. Kamloops Airport Ltd. filed the claim on Aug. 30, more than a year after the default judgement against SPBG 812 Bute Cafe Inc. The new lawsuit named the company's owner, Aamir Bharmal, as the defendant. It appears the airport cafe struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, and by February 2021 it was in default on its lease, which structured its rent largely based on revenue, according to court documents. READ MORE: Build Kamloops counter petition campaigners break their silence https://infotel.ca/newsitem/build-kamloops-counter-petition-campaigners-break-their-silence/it106433 From February to December 2021, the company made payments totalling $40,700 toward rent and outstanding bills. In January 2022, the company wrote a $9,000 cheque to the airport with the help of a federal government lending program. That was the last payment the cafe made to the airport. The airport terminated the cafe's lease a year later after "several" unsuccessful attempts to contact the owner. At that time its rent was $5,056 per month and had accrued $165,245 in arrears. The airport filed its first civil claim against the company that same day, Jan. 11, 2023. READ MORE: BC United sources leak 'extremism' file on B.C. Conservatives' executive Isidorou https://infotel.ca/newsitem/elxn-bc-united/cp1816358052 A BC Supreme Court judgement awarded the Kamloops airport $167,420.13 for the unpaid rent, damages and interest, but none of it has been paid, according to the newly filed claim. Bharmal has not responded in court. To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry mailto:llandry@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .