Two high profile northern businesses to close their doors in coronavirus slowdown

A TV chef’s restaurant and a historic marine supply store are the latest victims of hard trading times in the State’s north.

A TASMANIAN celebrity chef’s restaurant and a business open for more than a century are among the latest high-profile coronavirus closures.

After more than 130 years of business in Launceston, C. H. Smith Marine will close its doors at the end of August while MasterChef favourite Ben Milbourne has decided he cannot continue to operate his Devonport restaurant.

Robin Anderson has been co-owner of the popular marine supplies store, on Wellington St, for nine years but said there was too much financial uncertainty to continue.

The store will close at the end of its lease.

“A lot has changed in recent years, with big chains like BFC and Anaconda coming in and not as many commercial fishermen coming in,” she said.

“COVID-19 affected us in the early stages too, since people weren’t able to go fishing or boating, so that didn’t help.”

C. H. Smith first opened in Launceston in 1884, the refurbished original C. H. Smith building on Charles St now houses Service Tasmania.

Meanwhile, TV chef Ben Milbourne has closed his restaurant in Devonport after trading for two years in Providore Place.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO, Michael Bailey said local businesses were facing an economic crisis and the sector would need strong leadership.

“The Business Outlook forecasts Tasmania will spend most of the new financial year in recession and unemployment will spike,” he said.

“The TCCI is calling for a three step plan – help businesses to reopen and stay open, invest in skills and invest in infrastructure.

“The government will also need to look at other measures, such as payroll tax and other significant input costs that it controls, like power bills.”

MasterChef Australia contestant Ben Milbourne will close his Devonport restaurant. SOURCE SUPPLIED.

Milbourne’s restaurant Charlotte Jack, named after his children, was in the Devonport City Council’s Providore Place which is part of stage one of its Living City project.

Those who dined at Charlotte Jack posted food reviews but Milbourne said a lack of foot traffic in the area, followed by COVID-19 trading restrictions and an upcoming annual rent of $52,000 a year, combined to make it unviable.

“There is just no foot traffic around Providore Place and to be honest the building has been a white elephant,” Milbourne said.

“You could go to Devonport and navigate yourself around the city without ever going through that area. It just did not become the city centrepiece I was told it would be.”

He said the council had promised markets and other events would be staged regularly to draw people to the area but, other than a Sunday market, that did not happen.

Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff said the council did not believe Providore Place had become a “white elephant” and she expected to see it evolve over time with the broader market.

“Turnover of tenancies and business operations is a normal occurrence,” Mayor Rockliff said.

“Recent interest in tenancies has been promising and aligns with information we are hearing in regard to increasing market activity generally across the city.

“The Providore Place facility is one element of an ambitious, long-term plan, designed to provide a foundation for the future growth and development of Devonport’s CBD over the next 10 years and beyond.”

Milbourne’s production company Cultivate is doing well with a new show called Award Winning Tasmania, co-hosted by Henry Terry of My Kitchen Rules fame hitting television screens, and another, Left off The Map, due to screen from November.