“Restaurants and cafes are closing at a rate of one in 10 … and have some of the lowest profit margins in the country,” Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert said. Mr Lambert called for a “hospitality-specific” liquor licence category and for outdoor dining fees to be permanently scrapped.

Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA) chief executive Wes Lambert warned it might be too late for CBD businesses to claw back pre-COVID-19 foot traffic. He is unsurprised that some venues are choosing to close on weakening sale days. The peak hospitality industry boss said owners may want to capitalise on Thursday night customers instead.

New data highlighted by the Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association (ARCA) shows 10.4 per cent of cafés and restaurants shut their doors in the past 12 months. By comparison, pubs, clubs and bars recorded failure rates of about eight per cent. ARCA chief executive Wes Lambert said the sector was facing structural – not temporary – pressures. “This is not cyclical. This is policy-driven pressure layered on top of weak consumer confidence,” Mr Lambert said.