'We've just had a gut full': Square Man Inn forced to close doors after difficult few years

After opening a decade ago and transforming it from a "derelict, run down old building" to a restaurant, manager Rob Breeze said he has had to make the unfortunate decision to close down.

He said a number of issues in recent years have put them under financial strain, and with the added difficulty of COVID-19 it was no longer viable to keep the business open.

"We've had to make the decision... the reality of it is since the roundabout reconstruction out the front took place a couple of years ago, business just declined dramatically from that point," he said.

"And we've just had a gutful, we just cannot sustain it any longer."

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Mr Breeze revealed it is his intention to stay in the restaurant business, however he's not sure exactly where that will be.

He said people's preferences have changed significantly from when he first set up shop a decade ago.

"We're going to stay in the food game, but food has changed in Tamworth in the past 10 years dramatically," he said.

"It's gone from restaurants to now everybody seems to be happy to eat out of a caravan on the side of the road [food trucks]."

He said the decision on exactly what he does from here, and where he does it, will be decided over the coming month. But for now, he is focusing on delivering for his customers while the doors are still open.

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