Lachlan’s Restaurant at Old Government House Parramatta shuts

The sudden closure of a restaurant linked with Australia’s oldest public building has left customers scrambling to get their money back and missing the charming venue.

Lachlan’s restaurant at Old Government House has shut. Picture: John Appleyard

The sudden closure of historic Lachlan’s Restaurant at Old Government House, Parramatta, has left customers scrambling to get their money back for functions after they claimed they were left without communication about the collapse.

It is understood the restaurant, on the grounds of the world heritage-listed Old Government House, closed its doors in October but customers were not notified, including a workplace which booked a Christmas party for 200 people with a $1000 deposit.

An employee of the workplace said the company was trying to retrieve the bond “but the people I feel for those with weddings”.

The restaurant closure was only discovered after a worker made inquiries about inspecting the venue ahead of the gathering, but no calls were returned.

There is no formal statement or update online informing the public about the closure but the restaurant is listed as “permanently closed” online.

Lachlan's at Old Government House director Martin Homann and waiter Bela Thomas in May 2020.

Lachlan’s was contacted for comment.

It is not named under the NSW Fair Trading complaints register, which lists any traders subject to 10 or more complaints in a month.

During lockdown in 2020, the business’ employees were ineligible for JobKeeper payments after a loophole tax, but it reopened after two hard lockdowns during the pandemic.

The stately venue is considered an institution in Parramatta and sits next to the 207-year-old house, which is Australia’s oldest surviving public building.

Convicts constructed the Georgian house, which served as a “country residence” for the first 10 governors of Australia.

Lachlan’s housed several small function rooms, high tea on its veranda and a marquee for large events such as weddings.

“It was a super viable restaurant for many years,’’ Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said.

“There’s two issues — first, there’s the loss of a western Sydney institution that was a great way to experience one of the oldest heritage buildings in Australia and, secondly, consumer affair issues.’’

National Trust of Australia NSW’s Parramatta branch president Cheryl Bates said the restaurant would be a loss to the UNESCO-listed Parramatta Park.

“To bring people to a heritage site, you need to provide an experience to them where they can linger for a long period of time and enjoy the space where they are,’’ she said.