Surprise as Surfers Irish bar closes

SURFERS Paradise’s Fiddlers Green Irish Bar and Restaurant has closed its doors for the first time in moe than a decade.

The Cavill Ave restaurant, which opened in 2007, was renowned for its live music scene and as a venue to watch sport.

Last night, the venue’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts were inaccessible.

Its website, still live.

On it, a calendar for July can be seen showing live music acts to be featured each night.

The website also stated that they had 12 sports channels at the bar “across all codes”.

The closure of the long-running institution came as a shock to Surfers Paradise Licensed Venue Association president Tim Martin. however, was

“It’s a shame if that’s what’s happened,” Mr Martin said, adding the pub had appeared to be trading quite well.

“It’s a bit of a shock, news to everyone.”

Local band McKenzie lead vocalist Nick Beech said he had not been informed that the venue had closed.

The four-piece covers band was due to play at the venue later this month.

“It’s a bit upsetting, we haven’t been here that long and they gave us a crack when we first started,” he said. “It’s pretty sad to see it go.” He said they had only been playing on the Gold Coast for the past year and a half and that there were few live music venues in Surfers Paradise.

“We didn’t have a clue (they were closing),” Mr Beech said.

“We’ve played there in the past, nothing huge, but it was it’s good in Surfers Paradise.”

He said the band often performed on the smaller stage at the front, but said it was fun to play the larger stage at the back of the restaurant.

“It was just a classic pub,” he said.

“It is a good spot, there’s not heaps of (live venues) in Surfers Paradise.

“There’s the Avenue and the Beer Garden … but the Avenue has moved to DJs.

“It was really one of the only places supporting live music with four or five piece bands. Hopefully another place will fill the void.”

Numerous attempts to contact the venue yesterday by The Gold Coast Bulletin were unsuccessful.

Staff at businesses near Fiddlers Gree said the restaurant had not been open for the past few nights. Irish