The beloved Rafters Café and Restaurant in Guyra will close its doors at the end of July, with current managers Jackie and Louise announcing the difficult decision to friends and fans earlier this month, and the premises now also put up for sale.
The pair, who have helped re-establish Rafters as a vibrant community hub, say the closure is not due to financial trouble or mismanagement, but because of circumstances outside their control.
“We are not closing because we are fly-by-nighters, we are not closing because we ran out of money,” the duo said in a heartfelt message to customers. “We are closing due to circumstances out of our control.”
Jackie and Louise took over the running of the café with a vision to revive the much-loved venue as a welcoming space for locals and visitors alike.
“We were certainly making a lot of progress bringing it back to being the community hub that it once was,” they said.
“All we wanted was the best for the community and to bring it back to life. Unfortunately, that has been cut short.”
Despite the disappointment, the pair have encouraged locals to visit one last time before the café closes, promising the same great coffee and delicious treats until the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the café’s owner Brett Murphy has listed the business for sale, describing it as a “fantastic opportunity” for a new owner-operator.
“The café is popular with locals and trade is fantastic, particularly during summer,” Mr Murphy said.
“A local owner who is keen to run Rafters and take it to the next level would be able to continue to have it remain a central hub of the local community.”
With a fully licensed premises, commercial kitchen, pizza oven, and seating for 80, Rafters is ideally located on the New England Highway, directly opposite where the Guyra Lamb and Potato Festival is held each year. Murphy said the venue has great scope for future development, including takeaway services, evening trade and functions.
The building itself is also for sale, with interested parties encouraged to contact Mr Murphy directly.
As the doors prepare to close on this chapter, Jackie and Louise have expressed their gratitude to those who supported them.
“Thank you Guyra and to all the people who have supported us.”
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