A major Brisbane restaurant chain with six venues across the Queensland capital has collapsed.
City Winery Brisbane Pty Ltd has entered voluntary liquidation, leading to the immediate closure of City Winery Fortitude Valley and Edward St and Ardo’s locations at Newstead, Milton, Hawthorne and Graceville.
“I am heartbroken at having to make the incredibly difficult decision to close City Winery and Ardo’s,” City Winery Brisbane CEO Dave Cush said.
“A drastic drop in consumer spending fuelled by the current cost of living and interest rate environment, coupled with increases in labour and operational costs have all had too great of a compounding impact on our business.”
Mr Cush also blamed historical effects of Covid and its lockdowns for the business’s failure, and said the final “nail” in the coffin was the launch of The Star at Queens’s Wharf last week.
“We simply cannot compete with an operation of that scale,” he said.
City Winery launched in 2019 in Fortitude Valley as Brisbane’s first inner-city winery since 1860.
Taking over an old warehouse on Wandoo St, the venue offered wine making masterclasses, where patrons could make their own drop, alongside a full restaurant and bar.
The business then expanded…