A cult seafood restaurant has made the heartbreaking decision to close its doors permanently due to rising costs.
Angler, based in Stirling, south-east of Adelaide, will cease operations on Sunday.
Co-founder Amanda Prance told Daily Mail Australia the move was made because fewer customers were coming in.
“We’ve been here for five years and we’re not going to renew our lease because of the massive drop in local customer traffic,” he said.
Ms Prance said the business would continue to operate at Adelaide Central Market.
Ms Prance took to social media last week to announce that she had… It became difficult to keep the restaurant open.
“Unfortunately, our business is not viable at this location,” he wrote.
He said the restaurant had been struggling for some time due to rising rent and utility bills.
The fisherman’s shop in Stirling, south-east of Adelaide, will cease trading on Sunday after the owners decided not to renew the lease (file image)
“Rent has gone up every year… we’ve probably seen a ten percent increase in electric bills and gas is a problem for us.”
Several restaurants and shops in the area have closed in recent years due to reduced foot traffic.
Locals are still recovering from a major fire that damaged the Woolworths store within Stirling Shopping Village in October 2023.
The fire also damaged several nearby businesses, including a butcher shop, leading to a decline in the number of shoppers visiting the area.
“It’s important not to ignore the ‘slow death’ of stores that were once a permanent fixture in our community,” Prance wrote.
‘While we may choose to blame our circumstances or defer responsibility, the simple truth is that local businesses cannot thrive without the people of our community.’
Angler was founded in 2019 by Ms Prance along with chef Sam Prance Smith.
The restaurant was known for serving sustainably sourced local seafood and became the first restaurant in South Australia to trial dry-aged fish.
The cooking technique is used to extract moisture from the seafood to create a better flavor.
The restaurant was known for serving sustainably sourced local seafood (pictured) and became the first restaurant in South Australia to trial dry-aged fish.
Dozens of social media users said they were disappointed the restaurant had to close and lamented the loss of shops and restaurants in the area.
“What sad news! It’s crazy that such a wonderful establishment is not thriving,” wrote one.
“I’m so sorry to hear this. We’ve lost too many businesses here and the main street is getting more boring by the day,” another person wrote.
“When will the community open its eyes and start supporting local businesses?” added a third.
Ms Prance thanked the staff and all the customers who have supported the restaurant.
He said the company will work with seafood wholesaler Fair Seafood at Adelaide Central Markets and is investing in other areas.
