Brookfield Shed Margate to close doors because of cost of living pressures

Amid a chain of businesses falling victim to the rising cost of living, a Channel cafe is the latest to announce it too will close its doors.

Brookfield Shed at Margate will close its doors from January 25. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Another Tasmanian business has fallen victim to the rising cost of living, with Margate’s Brookfield Shed announcing its cafe’s closure on Sunday.

After seven years of business in the old seed drying shed along the Channel Highway, business owner Julia Ridgers said the decision to close from January 25 did not “come lightly”.

“This decision should have been made weeks ago, but I wasn’t in the right emotional space to make it public,” she said.

Brookfield was previously devastated by 2018 floods in southern Tasmania that destroyed the building and saw the downturn in business during and after the Covid pandemic, with rising cost of living the final nail in the coffin for the business.

“We need to close the doors to stop debt building … we just haven’t had the same amount of customers – our regular families are only coming in once a month now, instead of every weekend,” Ms Ridgers said.

Brookfield Shed in Margate. Picture: Supplied

“Both my partner and I need a break from Brookfield as well and it has come at the right time.”

Ms Ridgers’ parents-in-law own the property space, meaning that both the farm, framing shop and food van will remain open while Ms Ridgers’ and her partner continue living and running charity meals at Brookfield.

The Swims East Coast Coffee and Scamander Sports & Community Complex on the east coast will become Ms Ridgers’ passion projects for the meantime.

“We have already had some of our devoted Brookfield customers visit our businesses on their travels through the east coast,” she said.

“I’ve made so many friends over the last seven years – they are customers, but also my friends. The journey has been amazing and my life has been incredible, I felt cared for and supported the entire time I was here.”