La Boheme – Adelaide's self-styled home of divine decadence – has closed its doors.
Owner Paul Boydon announced the venue's last weekend of trading at the end of April citing continuing poor trading conditions and unresolved issues with the landlord at the 36 Grote Street address.
The difficulties were flagged in February when a GoFundMe page urgently sought to raise $50,000. Notwithstanding the venue's subsequent closure that crowd funding page has reached $28,000 in pledges for a goal subsequently revised down to $30,000. The venue traded through the hoped-for boon of Adelaide Fringe but ultimately succumbed while holding out for the re-building of Her Majesty's at 58 Grote Street.
The venue was home to the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival which is also now in doubt for 2019.
Boydon announced on 26th April, "This is our last weekend of trade barring a miracle. The generosity of all or supporters allowed us to get though fringe and back to the table with the owner of our building, but he has unrealistic expectations in the current circumstances of our part of Grote St.
"The Metropolitan Hotel next door is experiencing the same drop in trade as us, holding out until the rebuilding of Her Majesty’s is complete. We unfortunately won’t be by their side in the arts precinct that will occupy this space in the future.
"Again thankyou for all your support over the last 12 and a bit years we and all who have worked, performed and celebrated here have enjoyed the space we all occupied and created."
