THE future of one of the ACT’s oldest buildings is in doubt following the sudden closure of the Green Herring Restaurant, says owner Max Terribile.

Located in Ginninderra Village the restaurant is housed in a 150-year-old slab hut. Initially built in 1860 in the NSW town of Bookham, the building was transported to Canberra in 1970 and has been The Green Herring Restaurant for more than 40 years.  

Owners Mr Terribile and his wife Pamela Patten were told three days ago, on December 3, that their lease would not be renewed after it expires at the end of the year due to plans to redevelop Ginninderra Village.                             

“I had an inkling [that this would happen] but I didn’t get a formal letter or anything,” he says.

“It’s absolutely shattering that an iconic restaurant has to suffer. But the operator thinks the area needs to be developed and it’s not our decision.”

Mr Terribile says the hardest thing was telling their staff of young adults and mums, that three days before Christmas they’re shutting the doors.

“My wife and I don’t have kids so we treat our staff like family and now we’ve had to tell them that they’re out of work,” he says.

After 10 years of owning the Green Herring Restaurant Mr Terribile has many fond memories of the building including the time it stood strong through a storm while other Canberra buildings flooded. But, he says, it’s unfortunate it hasn’t made it though this.

Mr Terribile and Ms Patten are looking for new accommodation for 2019 and will shut their doors at Ginninderra Village on December 22.