Flagstaff Hill Convention Centre and Café has unexpectedly closed, with last Sunday September 10 being its last day of operation.
The lease for the Convention Centre and Café was held by Tuan and Vi Thuy, who also own and operate Jochheim Pies in Bowen.
The owners announced the closure of Flagstaff Hill suddenly last week via a Facebook post.
Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said the closure of the Flagstaff Hill Café and Convention Centre came as a shock to Council.
“The facility is currently leased to a private operator who did not indicate to Council that they would be closing prior to the end of their lease period which still has over 12 months to run,” Mayor Hall said.
Council said that they had been “working through issues raised by the community with difficulty booking any type of function or wedding at the Convention Centre.”
“We have also had contact from the State Government who have also had complaints lodged with issues in regard to the operation of the Convention Centre.”
“I can clarify that the lease conditions or minimal rent charged by Council has never been raised as an issue by the operator,” said a Council spokesperson.
“Council had also assigned officers on several occasions to assist the lessee with some of the operational issues they were experiencing in an attempt to ensure the smooth running of the facility for the operators and community.”
Tuan and Vi Thuy were unable to give a comment at this time.
The Flagstaff Hill facility had only just re-opened in October 2021 following lengthy rebuild after the previous café was irreparably damaged in the 2017 cyclone.
The latest closure comes as another blow to the iconic local landmark.
Council will work proactively to secure another operator to ensure the best outcome.
Flagstaff Hill Convention Centre and Café has suddenly closed its door, with only two days’ notice to the community. Photo supplied
