Jolt Bakery Cafe at old post office Rockhampton closed indefinitely

‘Restarting is going to be nearly impossible’: The Rockhampton business owner doesn’t know if and when he can reopen.

Owner of Jolt Bakery Cafe George Pezaros.

It has been more than three months since Jolt Bakery Cafe at the old Rockhampton Post Office closed temporarily to allow for necessary renovations to take place.

Now it’s unclear if the popular business will be able to reopen at all.

Jolt, originally Degani, has been operating out of the historic former post office on the corner of East and Denham streets since 2011.

File photo of George Pezaros and Wayne Clifford at the cafe opening in 2011. Photo Allan Reinikka / The Morning Bulletin

Jolt co-owner George Pezaros said they had been in discussion with the landlord for the past four years over flooding, plumbing and building issues.

The heritage-listed building sold to a Victorian investor in 2018 for $4.115 million.

“It’s flooded twice, we had water coming up through the floor for some two years, downpipes leaked, some incidents where staff have fallen,” he said.

“Bits of the place have fallen off, the clock tower stopped … Our most heritage listed building is falling into disrepair.”

A downpipe on the dining area of the former post office building.

Environmental Health Officers from Rockhampton Regional Council visited the business on various occasions last year and issues notices to rectify the building’s issues.

The last notice was issued on October 19, 2022, with 30 days to rectify.

Mr Pezaros decided to close Jolt on November 6, to allow for repairs to be carried out, but he says he is still waiting for the repairs to take place.

“We hoped once we closed they would fast track the repairs,” Mr Pezaros said.

Inside the windows of the closed cafe.

The last promise Mr Pezaros said he was given was that the work would be done by February 1, which it hasn’t.

“It’s frustrating, we have been closed for months, restarting is going to be nearly impossible,” he said.

“We’ve got all the equipment still sitting there, it will have damp and mould.”

Closed sign on the windows of the Jolt Bakery Cafe "Post Office".

It should be noted that council did not enforce the business closure and only issued notice to remedy the building work.

“Council routinely carries out inspections on food service providers across the region,” Planning and Regulation councillor Grant Mathers said.

“Following the inspection, if there are any issues we will raise these with the business and give them sufficient time to rectify it.

“There’s no need for a business to close while they’re resolving the issues, unless there’s a significant risk to public health in which case we will suspend their food business licence.

“Fortunately, council has not had to take this action with any licensed premises for many years.”

Jolt Bakery Cafe has been temporarily closed for months as the building, the former post office, needs urgent repairs.

The grand two-storey brick post office building was built in 1892 for the Queensland Post and Telegraph Department for £14 368.

It was the sixth post office to be established in Rockhampton at the time.

Operations as a post office ceased in 1997 and the building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2003.

A main feature of the building is the clock tower.

The clock face has the words ANNO 1890 DOMINI, which translates to ‘in the year of our Lord 1890’ and TEMPVS FVGIT CITO PEDE, translating to ‘time flies on winged feet’.

Sadly, the clock stopped working years ago and its iconic hourly chime has not been heard in the CBD since.

“The iconic clock...we must get asked every second day why that clock isn’t working,” Mr Pezaros said.

“It broke down six months after they bought it.

“It’s the heart of Rockhampton, it’s the CBD. If you don’t maintain an old building then you are just asking for trouble.”

When Jolt Bakery Cafe was in operation the verandah of the building was filled with outdoor tables and chairs. It has now been vacant for months.

For now, Mr Pezaros is holding out some hope the required building work will be carried out soon so he can re-open Jolt.

If not, the future looks pretty bleak.

“If we don’t get a positive response from them (the landlord) in the next four weeks … We will just have to walk away from there and take whatever legal action we can.”

This publication has attempted to contact the landlord for comment but did not receive a response.