RTL Today - Luxembourg City nightlife: Grund's 'Liquid Bar' closed for months after owner disappears

Liquid Bar in Luxembourg City's Grund neighbourhood has been closed since the end of September, whilst the owner seems to have disappeared without a trace.

Liquid Bar, formerly known as French, was renowned for its blues and jazz concerts, but has been closed since 29 September. Rumours of the reasons behind the closure abound, with some being completely off the mark and others revealing some truths. One rumour steeped in the truth is that the Australian beneficial owner of Goofer Sàrl, which ran the bar, has disappeared.

The bar's last employee told RTL that her boss had always been honest, but then registered her as the new owner shortly before the bar closed - but without her signature and without formally giving her notice. Not long before the bar closed, he had also mentioned he would like to retire and live on an island.

Other rumours suggested the owner had fled with the contents of the till. But those who knew the man claimed this was unlikely, pointing to his background as a former banker and saying he was not dependent on the bar's earnings. On the contrary, he kept on investing his own money into the bar. The latest report on the Trade and Companies Register revealed that Goofer Sarl's business was doing well, but some results were less positive, leaving the business with debts of €200,000.

The debt and a dispute with a former associate could likely be the causes of the bar owner's mysterious disappearance. A former associate stepped back as an owner of the bar in 2017, but remained linked to the business as a collateral security. He believed he had been unfairly let go, whilst the lawyer of the bar owner referred any inquiries to a court deadline of 24 February.

The Brasserie de Luxembourg, which rents out the premises for M Immobilier and the Libens family, has also launched a case against Goofer Sarl, as the business failed to extend its rental contract, which had since expired. However, the business has not yet returned the keys to the premises. According to the last employee, the Brasserie does not want the key as it requires a signature from the formal tenant.

According to industry insiders, Liquid Bar will reopen with new owners within the next few months, but the Brasserie is adamant it has no signed any contracts with potential owners. At any rate, the Brasserie remained pleased with how the bar was managed before the owner vanished.