今日吃瓜

Cafe Freda鈥檚, the long-beloved Sydney cafe and bar, has announced it will be closing its doors in 2025.听

It is the latest in a long line of cafes, bars, music shops and nightlife venues that have announced closures or reductions in opening hours along the Oxford St strip.听

The LGBTQIA+ nightlife strip has been affected enormously by a large amount of construction, including the ongoing Oxford & Foley project.听

The major development has had enormously blown out timelines, which local business owners say, along with the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockout laws, has a huge amount to do with how local businesses are suffering.听

Cafe Freda鈥檚 announces closure

Cafe Freda鈥檚, which used to be based in Chippendale, moved to Oxford St in 2020.

In a statement on social media, co-owner David Abram cites the lockout laws, the pandemic, and development of the building as reasons for the closure, and for the ‘ravaging’ of Oxford St’s nightlife.

鈥淐afe Freda鈥檚 was a love letter to Oxford Street, once the epicentre of Sydney night-life,鈥� he writes.

鈥淚t had been ravaged by the devastating effects of the lock out laws, and more recently the pandemic.鈥�

The statement also said that the Taylor Square venue has to close due to the redevelopment of their building.听

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know how long [Cafe Freda鈥檚] would be at this iconic location,鈥� Abram said.

鈥淚n truth, we signed a one year rolling lease understanding that at some stage in the future the site would be developed. We didn鈥檛 know if this would be two years or ten. It turns out it was four (and a bit).鈥�

The statement, posted to Instagram says Cafe Freda鈥檚 last day of service 鈥渨ill be Saturday 1st March – Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2025.鈥�

 

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Oxford St businesses continue to struggle

Business owners on Oxford St have spoken out readily in the last year about the difficulties they鈥檝e faced with operating, particularly because of the construction and never-ending developments and redevelopments.听

In May, Star Observer reported that construction on the Oxford Foley development had halted. Originally slated to be completed by mid-2023, and in time for the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, the project was still nowhere close to finished then 鈥� and still continues today, in December. It is now slated to open in the middle of 2025.听

An failed to assuage or comfort the small business owners suffering from delayed construction on Oxford Street.

At the time, Robert Tait, a local resident and former retail shop owner, told City Hub that the local council, City of Sydney, had a lot to answer for.

鈥淒evelopment is already at least a year overdue. You鈥檝e got three blocks that are boarded up for a very long period of time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 massively impacted the vibrancy and commercial viability of Oxford Street. Just look at all the empty shops and businesses.鈥�

Ken Holmes, owner of Aussie Boys, a men鈥檚 swimwear and underwear store that has traded on Oxford St for 40 years told Star Observer that there was only one word for what鈥檚 going on.

鈥淒isastrous,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it goes on for another two years, we just won鈥檛 be here.鈥�

Holes that today, his his store is trading 鈥減robably down 40 to 45 per cent on what we normally do.

鈥淲e have some days where we do nil because there鈥檚 just no traffic,鈥� he said 鈥淭he problem is nobody鈥檚 coming here because everyone鈥檚 saying 鈥榙on鈥檛 go to Oxford Street, there鈥檚 nothing there鈥�.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to turn that around a bit, but it seems to be stuck in people鈥檚 minds that there鈥檚 nothing here so they don鈥檛 come here.鈥�