The Book Kitchen forced to close due to light rail impact with owners owing $10,000 in rent

AMELIA Birch and her husband David are broke, unemployed and have moved back in with their parents with their two kids after they say light rail works destroyed their Surry Hills business.

Amelia Birch and David Birch, owners of The Book Kitchen cafe in Surry Hills, in happier times.

MEET the Devonshire St small business battlers hung out to dry by the CBD and South East Light Rail Project.

Amelia Birch and her husband David Birch are broke, unemployed and with their two children have moved back in with Mrs Birch’s parents.

After 12 years, their livelihood, the popular The Book Kitchen cafe, has closed. Buried behind the suffocating scaffolding that borders the works for the light rail.

Eight months since construction began, the impact of the works have forced the Birch’s hand.

Requests for practical assistance from the State Government fell on deaf ears, Ms Birch said.

Eight months since construction began, the impact of the works have forced their hand.

Just last month Ms Birch hoped to stave off the worst of the downturn in business — losses of 60 per cent compared with normal trading — by turning the restaurant into a co-working space and allowing chefs to rent out the kitchen.

But despite laying off ten staff members, a decision which Ms Birch said was “absolutely heartbreaking”, the cafe wasn’t coming close to making ends meet — bringing in just $300 a day.

“That’s not enough to cover the rent, let alone anything else,” Ms Birch said.

“We basically thought, do we want to hang in and just pay rent and that’s it, not even pay ourselves, and be in debt with our suppliers or (do we shut down?),” she said.

Pictures taken in the Book Kitchen on the corner of Burke Street and Devonshire Street , Surry Hills - David Birch (Co-owner and head chef)

Ms Birch said the landlord of the property was unwilling to negotiate on rent, pulling the plug on their lease when the pair were a fortnight late in paying their monthly rent.

Requests for practical assistance from the State Government fell on deaf ears, Ms Birch said.

“They say, we’re here for you, but they’re not, they really don’t care — we’re just a dip in the ocean and think we’re stupid enough that they can push these things through (without resistance),” Ms Birch said.

Despite platitudes that all would be okay, activation measures such as signs and guides did little to counter the impact, she said.

“The government is expecting these good people to fall on their swords and submit to their idiocy,” she said.

“It’s insulting to think they can get away with it and leave a trail of destruction in their wake with no care,” Ms Birch said.

The Birch’s have not only liquidated their business, but the financial pressure has also seen the pair move from their home in Surry Hills, right up the road from where their children attend primary school, and in with Ms Birch’s parents.

“Having to deal with all the emotions has been very traumatic — and to move out of a community that’s been our home for such a long time,” Mr Birch said.

The Book Kitchen opened in 2005 and became a staple of the community.

Marg Prendergast, co-ordinator general of the CBD, said that both Transport for NSW and the ALTRAC Light Rail have been working closely with the community and local businesses and “sending a strong message that Sydney is open for business along the light rail route during the construction period”.

While Ms Prendergast said she acknowledged there was short term disruption, the end result would significantly benefit Sydney.

OTHER NEWS: MONTH’S WORTH OF RAIN TO FALL IN THREE DAYS

Additional signage was designed and installed for the Book Kitchen at the request of the owners and the Devonshire Street local business guide, of which 50,000 copies were distributed, included a special feature on the Book Kitchen.