Walter Shellshear’s Comedor restaurant plans to reopen in Newtown

An award-winning Mexican restaurant is planning to make a comeback to Sydney’s inner west after abruptly closing last year. Here’s what we know.

Comedor is planning to reopen with extended hours.

Award-winning Comedor restaurant is planning to make a comeback in Newtown after suddenly closing last year.

Former insolvency lawyer Walter Shellshear ran the venue, located on 182 Australia St, when it closed abruptly in November.

The closure sent shockwaves through the community after it had successfully operated for four months, with the venue being awarded with a Good Food Guide hat.

But now, Mr Shellshear has plans not just to revive the Mexican joint but has lodged a modification application with the Inner West Council to extend the operating hours.

The business is proposing to run from 7am to 12am from Thursday to Saturday over a 12-month trial period.

Comedor owner Walter Shellshear. Picture: Tom Parrish

The venue, which can squeeze up to 80 patrons inside, would continue to open at the same time but close at 10pm the rest of the week.

To address the noise concerns a revised acoustic report has been completed, which found the main source of the noise was from a roof-installed mechanical ventilation plant that was running at a setting beyond what was required.

The inside dining area of Comedor.

The building is now acoustically designed to trade until midnight as the plant has been fixed, new acoustic treatments have been installed and “operational matters settled”, the application states.