Miranda Live: George Street cafe VIVO shuts up shop after light rail struggles

VIVO cafe will serve its last coffee next week after 16 years of business on George St. The owners say Sydney’s light rail project has made it impossible for them to continue trading — listen to the interview.

2 min read

August 15, 2018 - 12:04PM

Berejiklian refuses to blink on light rail report

A CITY of Sydney councillor and small business owner claims the light rail construction project has forced her family to close their George St cafe.

Angela Vithoulkas has owned and operated VIVO cafe alongside her siblings for the past 16 years but today announced that due to a lack of trade, they will serve their last coffees on August 24.

LISTEN TO ANGELA VITHOULKAS ON MIRANDA LIVE:

Small business owner Angela Vithoulkas.

“I don’t remember the last time we could afford to pay the rent, so we’ve been funding the rent ourselves, my brother and I, for quite a long time now,” Ms Vithoulkas told Miranda Live.

LIVE WIRE NEAR LIGHT RAIL EXPOSED FOR MONTHS

“The circumstances of light rail have finally come to a head for us and we are incapable of continuing. It’s just a perfect storm … the duration of the light rail and the impact it’s had on us emotionally and financially, we just can’t tolerate it anymore”.

The light rail project in full swing on George St.

The independent councillor said she has watched “clouds of dust cover the food” and endured consistent noise outside VIVO for three years.

100 BUSINESSES NEAR LIGHT RAIL UP FOR LEASE

“Business has been as poor as it’s ever been. It’s much worse this year than it ever has been,” she said.

“It’s really hard to see an icon like VIVO that’s been here for decades to just vanish so we do hope that we will somehow resurrect.”

Ms Vithoulkas is vowing to donate all sales from August 24 to the drought appeal.

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