Auslan cafe closes after only four months

A CAFE that opened earlier this year to empower the hearing-impaired community has closed due to undisclosed circumstances.

Cafe Auslan on Wednesday posted a video to the business’ Facebook page of co-owner Rachel Freeman, with a caption that announced the cafe had closed. “Unfortunately we are sorry to announce with heavy hearts that Cafe Auslan will no longer be trading,” the post read.

“We would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to our regulars and to each and every one of you who came to support us, experienced and learned more about Auslan. Battery Point is a beautiful community, thank you for all your friendship and support towards us.”

The shopfront, on Hampden Rd, Battery Point, was formerly Bahr’s Chocolate Shop and Milk Bar.

It was replaced by Cafe Auslan in May this year. The Mercury reported at the time that Ms Freeman, who was born profoundly deaf, had opened Tasmania’s first sign language cafe with business partner Jane Hodgkinson in order to bridge the gap between the hearing and hearing-impaired communities.