More beloved eateries to close - but change may be coming

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Myrtle Bakery will close due to the bakery’s “cherished” location becoming no longer available for them. (File photo)

More Wellington eateries have announced their closures, but hospitality experts advise that the winds of change may be coming.

Myrtle Bakery on Kent Terrace announced via social media it would be shutting in December, a week after it was named the winner of its category at the unofficial hospitality awards early this month.

Owners Sarah Bullock and Jacob Brown said the bakery’s “cherished” site was no longer available to them, leading them to decide to close the store.

Myrtle Bakery owners Sarah Bullock and Jacob Brown say the bakery’s “cherished” site will no longer be available to them. (file)

“The character of the building, its unique position, and the warmth and support of the people who visit us, are not just part of our story — they are our story.”

Mabel’s Burmese Eat & Drink Shop has also announced its closure, with owner Marlar Boon saying online the Tory St restaurant will close Christmas Eve.

In a post on Instagram, Boon thanked her loyal customers, saying her family came to New Zealand in the 1970s due to the civil war in Myanmar.

Her grandmother had opened one of the first Burmese restaurants in New Zealand in the 1970s, she said.

“As Burmese diaspora, we often find that what’s happening in Myanmar gets overlooked.

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“My only hope is that Mabel’s gave you a connection to Myanmar and a reason to keep yourselves engaged in our struggle.”

She said there would be no future iterations of Mabel’s -- “we are out”.

It is understood that lack of foot traffic caused by the public service shrinking had affected the restaurant, alongside the cost of living crisis.

These two closures join the long list of Wellington eateries which are closing or changing ownership; including CGR Merchant & Co which will close in December, and Tory St’s Poquito Bar which is looking for new owners.

Hospitality NZ chief executive Steve Armitage said the last few years had been tough for hospo operators around the country.

Armitage said the owners of Myrtle’s had made it clear that the bakery’s closure was due to their lease ending, rather than economic reasons.

Hospitality and retail businesses - such as Courtenay Place’s BL3 and Fish Cube on Dixon St - were showing renewed confidence by leasing spaces in the Wellington central city, he said.

“With positive economic indicators like recent OCR cuts and improving tourism forecasts, we are optimistic about a stronger trading period in the months ahead.”

Statement owner Laine Ruscoe says he is seeing more foot traffic along the Golden Mile. (file)

He said that it was “great” to see the resilience and passion within the capital’s hospitality scene.

“A full recovery remains some way off, but we’re confident that our sector can emerge from this downturn stronger.”

It’s not just food businesses that are closing. Art gallery Kaukau posted on Instagram that, after almost a decade in Wellington, they would be closing their doors early next year. .

Owners Nadya France-White and Prak Sritharan said the Ghuznee St community meant so much to them.

“We still believe so much in retail and people’s desire to experience something special. But as a young whānau this feels like the right time for us to step away.”

The Ghuznee St precinct also saw Whistling Sisters Brewery and The Service Depot close this year.

Data from Worldline shows that Wellington experienced a -0.9 decline in core retail spending from 2023 to 2024.

However, stores along Wellington’s Golden Mile said recently that, while not yet back to its former strength, shoppers were returning to Wellington aspublic service workers started to come back to the office.