Kingston restaurant Panko Chan will close permanently, with its owners saying they want more time with family and friends after six years running the business.
No closing date has been set, but in a social media post, the owners said they were still in talks with “the other parties involved”.
“We are not yet able to give a specific date, as we are still working and communicating with the other parties involved, hoping to confirm one as soon as possible,” the post said.
The restaurant serves Japanese-inspired food, running as a fish and chip shop by day and serving “Japas” or Japanese tapas, at night.
The owners, said Panko Chan was their first business and the decision to close had not come quickly.
“This is a decision we have deliberated over for a very long time,” they said.
They described the closure as “an incredibly difficult decision”.
“We need to move forward, to have more quality time with our family and friends, also to continue learning in different areas,” they said. “This is not a full stop, but a new beginning.”
The post said the owners hoped to take time to “reflect and grow” so they could bring “even better food and service to this beautiful community” in the future.
Opening hours will change in the meantime so staff have time to look for new jobs. Updates on the new hours will be posted on the restaurant’s social media.
Customers holding gift cards are encouraged to use them before the restaurant closes. Those who cannot will be offered a refund by contacting [email protected].
The announced closure is one of a number of hospitality closures announced over the past year around Hobart.
In July, the Pub Banc Group, which operated seven Hobart venues including Cargo Bar and Republic Bar, went into voluntary administration and its venues shut immediately.
Over the past year, several new venues have also opened in Hobart, including Atlas & Vine in the CBD, Bierhalle on Davey Street and Bird in Hand Cellar Door Restaurant in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens on the Queens Domain.
Don Frico and The Rice Corner have opened in Battery Point and Smith Street and Teddy’s in North Hobart, while In Good Company has opened in Sandy Bay and Kingfisher on Elizabeth Street Pier.
