It can be hard enough running a restaurant in Canberra, but for Mecca Bah, events of the past few months haven't helped.
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The current owners, Platinum Restaurant Group, which is run by two Sydney-based brothers, bought the 200-seat restaurant and adjoining bar in 2010 with no idea the previous owner's actions would come back to haunt the brand, which also operates three restaurants in Queensland.
Damien Micah Trytell, who formerly owned the restaurant in Manuka was fined $16,170 by the Federal Magistrates Court this week, after admitting to underpaying 26 employees a total of $50,996.
But despite Trytell selling Mecca Bah three years ago, the restaurant's reputation has been rocked by the proceedings.
''People hear that and [think] we're not treating our staff properly,'' Mecca Bah manager Nicole Maddock said. ''We even had someone come in this morning and say, 'We saw you on TV this morning,' and it's like, 'Oh great'.
''We work under the Restaurant & Catering Association, so all of our awards are set like that … we're very, very aware of how we're supposed to treat our staff. Unfortunately now we're being associated with this guy who's obviously done the wrong thing.
''It's hard to attract [hospitality] staff in Canberra full stop, but I think it has made things a little more difficult for us. People just see the name and that's it, they associate that with you.''
The restaurant retained some staff members during the management transition, but the new owners were not aware of the issues with the previous owner until it was reported in the media seven months ago.
