The Bar Towel

Well my local pub appears to have bitten the dust. A handwritten sign appeared on the door last weekend accusing someone of betraying the owners and that they were going to "pay them back". This coincided with the doors being shut and various men arriving in recent days to cart off furniture and other items. A note also instructed DJ's and/or musicians who had equipment on site to show up soon to reclaim it before it was too late. Now the note on the door reads "gone fishin. Back real soon. Believe it".

As I haven't seen John, the owner and nearby resident, in a few weeks I have no idea what is going on. Landlord dispute? Owners dispute? Legal issue? Once I know more I'll post it here but, bottom line, a decent pub with 21 taps of micro beer has closed its doors...who knows for how long.

Bugger, I have been trying to get out to this place for over a year now, Ok, I wasn't trying THAT HARD, but I did get close a few times... I heard about the good beer, and that they did a deep-fried Mars bar...

Jon - Keep us in the loop if it does open back up...

This is AWFUL news! I really enjoyed the Cloak, one of my favourite places in the city. Please keep us posted Jon if you find anything else out.

I didn't make it there often, but when I did, I really enjoyed it. Hopefully it will reopen with the same atmosphere and taps.

Don't Fret.... The Cloak will be open again in a couple of weeks. John is no longer the owner but it's been bought by Brent who has been managing there for a while. They are doing some reno's (new floor, moving the entrance, licensing the back yard) so thats that!

For anyone who's interested... the Gospel Sundays at the The Cloak have been temporarily relocated to The Embassy on Augusta in the market.
The last slogan thehy had on their chalkboard was "Welcome to the Micro-Boozery"

Great to hear. And thanks for the tip about gospel Sundays, I very much enjoyed that too.

There's obviously a bigger story here than were being told. The notes first posted on the door made it sound like a pretty acrimonious split. Whether we ever know the truth or not, which isn't ultimately our business, I do have some advice for the new owners. How about a sign out front that reads "Closed for renos. Will reopen on (date)." I've seen and spoken to MANY people that have assumed the place went out of business.

I also doubt that the rear patio will ever get licensed. The bar that was in that space prior tried it and was flatly denied by the city. There are too many adjacent apartments and houses (mine being one only 30 feet away). I love the Cloak but I will fight to make sure the patio doesn't get approved. The noise that already migrates out of there through the open rear door is a problem in and of itself. That will only worsen tenfold with a raucous patio open late.

There is a bigger more dramatic story to the departure of John but I figure it doesn't much matter right now.

The point is that it IS re-opening

Sorry about the noise! I'm probably one of the culprits!

Annnd John is no longer a near-by resident.

Steph wrote:There is a bigger more dramatic story to the departure of John but I figure it doesn't much matter right now.

The point is that it IS re-opening

Sorry about the noise! I'm probably one of the culprits!

I'm thrilled to know it will reopen! I wish the new owners te very best and I will happily pop back in for my once a month pint or two. As for the noise...hey, if I didn't have a bedroom facing the proposed patio I'd be excited about the possibility too...but it's unworkable for me and most of the other neighbors whose bedrooms overlook it. If it were guaranteed to be empty and quiet after 11pm then I'd relax a bit but I think we all know that won't happen.