‘Slow death’: Cult favourite seafood shop closes in South Australia

A cult favourite seafood shop will close its doors on Sunday, following the ‘slow death’ of other businesses in the area.

One of South Australia’s top seafood restaurants will permanently close its doors on Sunday following the “slow death” of other businesses in the local community.

Angler, in Stirling, 15km from Adelaide’s CBD told its customers it would shut up shop in a post on social media last week, announcing the struggling business is “not viable in this location”.

“It is with gratitude and sadness that we share the news that Angler Stirling will not be renewing our lease,” Angler owner, Amanda Prance, wrote in the post.

Ms Prance said the community was impacted when the local shopping centre, including Woolworths, was destroyed in a fire last October.

“Since we opened in 2019, we have watched the landscape of Stirling change dramatically,” she wrote.

“While drastic events like the Woolworths fire are obviously very impressive, inspirational, it is important not to ignore the ‘slow death’ of shops which were once a permanent fixture of our community.”

The popular seafood restaurant will permanently close on Sunday. Picture: Facebook/Angler Stirling

The news comes after the ‘slow death’ of other local businesses. Picture: Facebook/Angler Stirling

“While we can choose to blame our circumstances or defer responsibility, the simple truth is that local business cannot thrive without people in our community who will walk down the main street to buy something from the plethora of unique offerings and everyday essentials.”

Ms Prance, who started the cafe with her nephew and chef Sam Prance Smith, said she was grateful for the support of local customers and staff who have stepped up during the “turmoil of the last few months”.

Locals expressed their devastation on social media, sharing the business will be dearly missed after other shops have “disappeared” from the area.

“Sorry to hear, What a loss for the community. Small business’ with shop fronts seem to be disappearing everywhere. It’s very sad,” one person wrote.

“So sorry that you had to make this hard decision. I will miss you all so much,” said another.

“When will the community open their eyes and start supporting local businesses Stirling will just become a bypass for the freeway soon no shops just Service stations,” another wrote.

Ms Prance said the business cannot thrive with customers. Picture: Facebook

Further shedding light on the business’ struggles, Ms Prance told The Advertiser the cost of rent and utilities had increased.

“We’ve probably seen a 10 per cent increase in electricity bills and gas is an issue for us,” she told the publication.

Ms Prance added many local businesses are suffering “because there’s just not people coming out”, suggesting without customers more would eventually close their doors.

“If we don’t have customer traffic, we don’t open for any other reason than to give hospitality,” she said.

“We’ve had some customers here who are absolute advocates, absolute guns, absolute die hard weekly customers that I am so grateful for … you know today we are seeing them for the last time.”

Angler, which sells sustainably sourced seafood and was the first restaurant in the state to dry-age fish, will continue business through their collaboration with Fair Seafood at the Adelaide Central Market.

A string of closures

It comes as a popular pizza chain in Tasmania announced the abrupt closure of two of its stores earlier this week.

WiseGuise Pizza, which opened its doors in the Launceston suburb of Mowbray in 2015, confirmed on social media it could no longer stay afloat after experiencing “constant decline”.

A popular pizza chain in Tasmania, WiseGuise Pizza, has closed its stores in the regional cities of Burnie and Devonport due to tough economic conditions and rising costs of running a family business. Picture: Instagram

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the immediate closure of our pizza stores in Burnie and Devonport,” management told customers on social media.

“Unfortunately due to incredibly tough economic conditions along with the rising costs of running a family business we have had to make this difficult decision.

“Despite all our efforts, recent times have shown a constant decline and while the three original stores continue to perform well, the stores on the coast struggle to remain viable.

Over in New South Wales, beloved Sydney wellness brand, Orchard St., shocked fans this week with the news it will cease operations for good this weekend after more than a decade.

A beloved Sydney wellness brand has shocked fans with the news it will cease operations for good this weekend after more than a decade. Picture: Instagram

Founder Kirsten Shanks told news.com.au the “heartbreaking” decision was “one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make” – but as an independently-owned small business, the rising cost of living had finally taken its toll.

“The team, our customers, the businesses we collaborate with mean everything to us. We feel like we’ve let so many people down – this was never part of our plan.”

Two unique dog-friendly cafes in Perth have also closed in the last fortnight, blaming “rising operational costs”.

According to ASIC, the Australian accommodation and food services sector has seen the second-highest insolvency rates in recent years after the construction industry.

In the 11 months through May, there were 1,751 insolvencies, compared to 1,127 in the same period a year ago and 713 the period before that.

Originally published as ‘Slow death’: Cult favourite seafood shop closes in South Australia