Toowoomba’s Empire Theatre to control leasing of former Encores restaurant site, owners make move to CBD shopfront

The Toowoomba Regional Council has revealed what it plans to do about the now-vacant Encores site, with the restaurant’s owners revealing details about their next project.

Encores restaurant, at the Empire. June 2018

The future of the site that hosted popular Toowoomba restaurant Encores has been confirmed, with the Empire Theatre to take over and lease the space in a move that could unlock new offerings.

Encores owners Mark and Meredith Rawlings revealed in April the highly-regarded eatery would close after 28 years in business within the theatre precinct, with the couple choosing not to renew their lease that expired on June 5.

Encores owners Mark and Meredith Rawlings.

Toowoomba councillors voted at last week’s ordinary meeting to transfer leasing management of the space to the Empire, with council’s principal property officer for acquisitions and leasing Chris Theodosis arguing the move would give the council-owned entity more control over operations.

“One of the benefits they foresee is that they have greater control and integration with the operations of the restaurant, so they have a greater ability to work with the restaurant in terms of programming, when they’re open, (and) how they can complement the operations of the theatre,” he said.

“Giuliana (Bonel, general manager) from the theatre (has said) perhaps they could incorporate catering arrangements as well, which hasn’t previously been integrated.”

The move will be cost-neutral to council, with the loss of $150,000 the TRC earned from the lease to be subtracted from the Empire’s total operating grant.

Councillor Carol Taylor was the only dissenting voice at the vote, expressing concerns about the council’s financial sustainability by foregoing the revenue.

Mark and Meredith Rawlings have started fitting out a shopfront on Russell Street, which will host the next iteration of Encores restaurant to be an events and catering space.

It comes as the Rawlings unveiled the next evolution in Encores, moving the brand to the site of the old Cafe Guitar on Russell Street with the aim of turning it into an “intimate private event space”.

“A heritage shop in the historic surrounds of Russell Street could be the next small event space you are looking for,” the couple wrote on social media.

“Classically furnished, AV-equipped, and in-house catering, offering intimate and personalised functions.

“From special ceremonies, formal sit-down dinners, cocktail-style functions, corporate presentations or just simply a blank space, we are in the early planning stages for an opening later in 2025.”

The pair have since shared photos of the new fit-out.