On Friday, Yacht Haven USVI appealed to the courts to remove tenant St. Thomas Social from its premises, after the restaurant allegedly racked up unpaid rent and fees to the tune of almost $200,000.
A two-page filing in the V.I. Superior Court says that Social Hospitality Group, which does business in the territory as St. Thomas Social, signed a 5-year lease for the property in December 2022. At some point along the way, the restaurant stopped paying its rent. A notice of default was sent in March of this year, however according to the complaint, no action was taken.
An eviction notice was sent in April, Yacht Haven alleges, with a deadline of May 2, 2025 to vacate the premises. “Defendant has not vacated the Demised Premises and holds possession of the Demised Premises by force,” the complaint concludes. As a result, the court is asked to order the immediate eviction of St. Thomas Social from its current location at the expense of the booted business.
The legal action is the latest in a series of woes for St. Thomas Social owner Matthew McClafferty, a businessman with a checkered past who is currently battling several other lawsuits as well as a personal Chapter 11 bankruptcy.