Downtown St. John's café owner pulls lawsuit against N.L. government

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A twelvemonth and a fractional aft a downtown St. John’s café sued the Newfoundland and Labrador government, the caller proprietor has withdrawn the suit, ending the ineligible battle.

Memorial Cafe proprietor Ayesha Chua withdrew assertion connected March 11

Elizabeth Whitten · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 9:17 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

A country of a ceramic gathering with motion "Memorial Cafe" implicit door. There is simply a lit up unfastened motion successful window.

A twelvemonth and a fractional aft a downtown St. John's cafe sued the Newfoundland and Labrador authorities implicit the National War Memorial refurbishment, the caller proprietor has withdrawn the lawsuit.

According to documents obtained by CBC News, Memorial Cafe proprietor Ayesha Chua filed the announcement successful tiny claims court on March 11.

CBC News has asked Chua for an interview.

Located astatine 183 Duckworth St., the café was close adjacent to the operation tract for the refurbishment of the National War Memorial that straddles Water and Duckworth streets. The operation wrapped past year.

In November of 2023, successful the midst of construction, then-cafe co-owner Balamurali Balasubramani filed a suit successful tiny claims tribunal against the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, alleging his business, past called Madras Cafe, was hurting owed to the ongoing operation adjacent to him.

He was seeking $25,000 positive a filing fee.

In a erstwhile interview, Balasubramani alleged gross astatine his café had dropped by 80 per cent owed to the disruption.

"This is my passion, truthful I conscionable wanted to support it running. But we tin lone past for truthful long, right? And by the looks of it, we are going to suffer everything. That's the mode it is," helium told CBC News.

Balasubramani and his member Guna Sekar opened Madras Cafe successful November 2021.

A model showiing operation taking spot outside,

In an email to CBC News, section spokesperson Maria Browne said, "the parties person resolved the substance and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has nary further comment."

According to documents obtained by CBC News, connected Feb. 1, 2024, Chua became a manager of the institution and Balasubramani and Sekar ceased to beryllium directors, making Chua the sole director. Chua officially changed the café's sanction to Memorial Cafe connected May 30, 2024.

Balasubramani had intended to continue the suit but was not permitted to because of the sale, helium told CBC News.

While changing the café's sanction to bespeak the business' proximity to the National War Memorial and with the operation wrapping, Chua carried connected with the lawsuit. The substance was expected to beryllium successful tribunal for a colony league successful January but it was pushed to May.

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