An Aussie radio star has made a brutal admission following the dramatic collapse of his hospitality venture, revealing he “trusted the wrong people”.
2GB Sydney host Mark Levy’s Pronto Sylvania restaurant shut its doors last year after telling its customers it would be closed for several days “due to some issues”. The business behind the eatery, Saint George Hospitality, entered liquidation.
Providing an update on Thursday morning, Mr Levy announced all debts associated with the venture had been repaid and admitted he “bit off more than (he) could chew”.
“What started as an exciting investment, a chance to build something in the community where I went to school, sadly didn’t turn out that way,” he said during his 2GB show. “The truth: I bit off more than I could chew.”
Mr Levy explained that it “became a lot harder to juggle things” at the end of 2024 when he replaced veteran broadcaster Ray Hadley as the new host of the 2GB Mornings show.
“To continue running the business was unsustainable and I had to close the doors,” he said. “To say my venture into the hospitality industry has been a learning curve is the understatement of a lifetime. I made mistakes. I trusted the wrong people. And I needed some better advice.”
Mr Levy said creditors had been paid after he worked closely with liquidator Mitchell Ball, adding that he had refinanced his home to ensure debts could be settled. He also said some figures reported in recent months regarding the debts were incorrect, stating that a total of $674,119 had been paid.
That figure included $69,244 in unpaid superannuation for 39 staff, $237,500 to Ainscough Holdings, $119,512 to small local businesses, $24,476 to EnergyAustralia and Optus, and $117,542 to the Australian Taxation Office, Mr Levy said.
“All creditors who came forward have received 100 cents in the dollar,” he said.
It comes after Pronto Sylvania - a restaurant that served Italian and Balkan cuisine at its Princess Highway spot in Sydney's south - informed its social media followers on August 7, 2025, that its kitchen would be closed for several days “due to some issues”. The restaurant appeared to have never reopened. Previous high-profile customers featured on the restaurant's Facebook page included former professional boxer Anthony Mundine.
