Gold Coast icon Fisherman’s Wharf Tavern closes for first time in 18 years

An iconic Gold Coast venue has closed its doors for the first time after 18 years of trading.

FISHERMAN’S Wharf Tavern may be a Gold Coast icon but no pub, cafe or restaurant was immune from yesterday’s shutdown.

Publican Peter Thompson, who has about 45 staff working at the Main Beach bar, says it is the first time he has been forced to close in 18 years.

“I’m pretty gutted but at the end of the day it’s not a big surprise,” he said.

Mr Thompson said he would redeploy some of the staff to the bottle shop he also runs at Mariner’s Cove in an effort to preserve jobs.

Peter Thompson closed Fisherman's Wharf Tavern at The Spit at 12pm yesterday. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The experienced publican, who previously ran the Envy Hotel in Broadbeach, estimated the shutdown would cost him a significant amount in lost income.

He said he would talk to landlord Sunland about rental relief in the next few days.

“I’m hopeful but they are in the same boat as us.”

Sunland previously put Mariner’s Cove on the market but has been unable to find a buyer.

Mr Thompson said his other business – Can Van – was also experiencing COVID-19-related difficulties.

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Yesterday was the first time the venue had closed in 18 years. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Can Van is a mobile refrigerated trailer unit designed to quickly chill large numbers of cans of beer, and other canned drinks, without the use of ice.

Mr Thompson said two of his trucks were stranded in Tamworth, NSW while another was in Albury-Wodonga, on the NSW-Victoria border.

The border has been closed and he has no way of getting them back.

Fisherman’ Wharf opened in 2003. It replaced the original bar, which was demolished to make way for Palazzo Versace.