A historic Sydney restaurant with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge has closed its doors following financial difficulties.
The Rawson Bar and Restaurant in The Rocks has now shut, with a notice on their website homepage confirming they are ‘currently closed’.
‘We thank our community and guests for their support,’ the brief notice continued. ‘We will share updates if and when available.’
News of the restaurant’s closure was confirmed by liquidator Shabnam Amirbeaggi of Crouch Amirbeaggi, who told the Daily Telegraph that the owners wound up the business in the face of rising and unsustainable costs, along with changing customer dining habits in the CBD.
‘It is early in the liquidation, but my preliminary review indicates that ongoing increases in labour costs, utility costs and the cost of supplies, coupled with a change in the dynamic of patronage in the CBD since the pandemic, has led to this business closing its doors,’ Ms Amirbeaggi said.
‘They made the difficult decision to cease trading after their management agreement expired. The largest creditors are related parties, and my investigations are ongoing.’
The liquidator assured that the business had plans to fulfil outstanding employee payments.
‘The directors of The Rawson Sydney have been personally funding the business trading costs up until the date of closure, ensuring employee wages and superannuation were paid,’ Ms Amirbeaggi added.
The Rawson Bar and Restaurant in Sydney’s The Rocks has suddenly ceased trading
A notice on their website confirmed the venue is ‘currently closed’
The restaurant and bar are located inside a historic building with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Rawson Bar and Restaurant is the latest hospitality casualty as the industry in Sydney continues to face post-pandemic struggles.
The beloved venue was located in a prime position in The Rocks, occupying a 160-year-old heritage building.
The sprawling, multi-level venue at 100 George Street was located in the heritage-listed Rawson Institute for Seamen building.
The easily recognisable sandstone landmark is connected to Sydney’s seafaring history and has a fascinating story of its own.
The site was originally constructed in the late 1850s as the Mariners’ Church and designed by architect John Bibb. Its purpose was as a place of worship and refuge for merchant seamen.
But when the church faced financial difficulties in the late 1800s, it was then leased to the Missions to Seamen.
Major extensions were made to the building between 1909 and 1910, overseen by then NSW Governor Sir Harry Rawson. It was during this period that the building was made-over with its distinctive George Street facade and its new name. In 1927, a further chapel was also added to the premises.
Through the late 20th century, the purpose of the building changed again, serving as a cultural venue, including housing the Craft Council of NSW.
The beloved venue was located in a prime position in The Rocks, occupying a 160-year-old heritage building
The multi-level venue featured a number of different dining areas and bars and offered Mediterranean-inspired fare
In 2011, it was transformed into a hospitality destination, starting this chapter of the building’s history as a bar known as Bar 100.
A few years later, it was rebranded as The Rawson in 2016. Its latest incarnation was as a modern Mediterranean-inspired restaurant featuring multiple bar and function spaces, while also highlighting the building’s heritage features.
Daily Mail reached out to a spokesperson for The Rawson Bar and Restaurant but had not heard back at the time of publication.
The Rawson Bar and Restaurant in The Rocks is only the latest in a string of renowned inner Sydney eateries to shutter in 2026.
Other establishments include The Boathouse at Rose Bay, which closed on January 11, Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano in Sydney’s CBD, which shut for the Christmas break but never re-opened, and even the iconic multi-award-winning dining venue Quay, which had its final service day this past weekend on Valentine’s Day, closing after 23 years of trading.
