History of ‘cursed’ site as bar closes
THE closure of Tom Collins Bar means the “cursed” site on Ruthven St has been home to five bars in nine years.
The 532 Ruthven St site has a history of bars operating in the venue, with Tom Collins, Veraison, the Olive Branch and Campari Bar, originally called Swish Wine Bar and Restaurant, all on-site since 2008.
It closed its doors suddenly on Saturday, after the business hit the market last month, just 13 months after opening.
Tom Collins Bar was known for its affordable, gluten-free menu and polished atmosphere.
Early 2008: Swish Wine Bar and Restaurant
Swish Wine Bar and Restaurant opened as a fine-dining restaurant in 2008.
It was known for being a friendly, relaxing restaurant and bar.
It was a place to unwind with a cold drink, an ideal place to forget about the hustle and bustle of the city.
It closed at the beginning of 2009.
April 2009: Campari Bar
Swish Wine Bar and Restaurant closed at the beginning of 2009 for renovations, reopening in April as Campari Bar and Restaurant.
Nigel and Roger Telford decided to relaunch the restaurant after Swish didn’t experience the level of clientele hoped.
Sharing its name with the fiery red, bitter Italian drink, Campari Restaurant offered Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
The business closed one year later.
August 2010: Olive Branch Lounge Bar and Restaurant
Rob Balderson hoped to inject some new life into inner-city dining with the Olive Branch Lounge Bar and Restaurant.
It was a fine-dining restaurant, at one stage offering a $130 steak.
The menu was modern Australian but showcased a marriage of French cuisine with popular Australian ingredients and some Mediterranean influence.
July 2015: Veraison
The award-winning Toowoomba restaurant moved to the site formerly occupied by the Olive Branch in July 2015.
Veraison relocated to Ruthven St after nine years of trading on Margaret St.
The restaurant had won a number of awards by the Australian Good Food Guide with its menu before closing its doors two months later.
June 2016: Tom Collins Bar
Tom Collins Bar opened in June 2016, offering tapas style food, steering away from a full restaurant menu.
The business hit the market in July before closing on Saturday.
Colliers International managing director of commercial sales and leasing Dan Dwan said the UK-based owner was divesting a number of property interests in Toowoomba including Tom Collins.