For the first time since 1903, Bar Orient will call last drinks for good, joining a wave of hospitality closures across Fremantle.
The popular High Street venue in Fremantle’s west end has had its lease terminated by building owners Tattarang – an investment group owned by Andrew and Nicola Forrest – to make way for a new Japanese restaurant.
Bar Orient leasee Tony Taylor said it was “heartbreaking” as the venue draws closer to marking “the end of an era.”
“We’ve lost the Fremantle Hotel, we’ve lost the P&O, we’ve recently lost the Navy Club, we lost the Workers club… this is really the last sort of old school venue left in the West end of Fremantle,” Mr Taylor said.
Mr Taylor said a rent price hike was behind his lease renewal being refjected rejected by Tattarang.
For the first time since 1903, Bar Orient will call last drinks for good, joining a wave of hospitality closures across Fremantle.
The popular High Street venue in Fremantle’s west end has had its lease terminated by building owners Tattarang – an investment group owned by Andrew and Nicola Forrest – to make way for a new Japanese restaurant.
Bar Orient leasee Tony Taylor said it was “heartbreaking” as the venue draws closer to marking “the end of an era.”
“We’ve lost the Fremantle Hotel, we’ve lost the P&O, we’ve recently lost the Navy Club, we lost the Workers club… this is really the last sort of old school venue left in the West end of Fremantle,” Mr Taylor said.
Mr Taylor said a rent price hike was behind his lease renewal being refjected rejected by Tattarang.
“(The rent) was about a $75,000 a year, and now it’s like $330,000 a year …(Tattarang) didn’t see a return on investment,” Mr Taylor said.
For 122 years, Bar Orient has remained a constant in Fremantle’s west end, becoming a popular hub for live music and fostering a tight knit community throughout the 70’s and 80’s, attracting high-profile guests – most notably the late Prince Phillip in 1984.
Fremantle historian and author Allen Graham called the closure ‘profoundly disappointing’ as Bar Orient was “incredibly influential for the Fremantle community.”
While Tattarang did not respond to questions about the closure, Mr Graham posed concerns with the plans to develop the heritage-listed building, which he claimed were potentially destructive to the building’s image if not done correctly.
“I hope it is worthy of the street,” he said.
Fremantle Council did not respond to questions on the issue.
Bar Orient’s closure represents wider issues in hospitality industry nationwide.
The Leopold Hotel, in Bicton in Perth’s south, is a 116-year-old pub that once was the home of rock legend Bon Scott and inspired AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’, has also just announced it will close permanently to make way for new apartments.
However, it’s not just historic venues that are struggling.
Back in March, the ABC reported that one in 11 hospitality businesses in Australia had closed in the last 12 months.
A report by CreditorWatch found that the main stresses for hospitality included the rising cost of living reducing consumer spending, increasing prices for goods and services, and rent price hikes, making it harder for Australian businesses to see a return on investment.
Bar Orient will continue to trade until it’s final event on New Year’s Eve.