Slingtown's closure leaves Islington's retailers reeling
Since Slingtown cafe closed in August, Islington's retailers have seen sales fall sharply.
Just two weeks after Slingtown closed its doors in August, Islington's retail strip fell quiet. Liesel Rickarby co-owns the vintage shop Stoned Saint Moon.
Rickarby made just $27 one Saturday when she typically makes around $1,000. Ellen Whaley owns Honey Street vintage.
She reported a similar fall. On Father's Day, just one customer walked through in two hours.
Other cafes had already closed: Peaberry's, Pino's, Billy Buttons. Cafes draw foot traffic to retail strips.
Without them, surrounding shops struggle, noted Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes. For traders who invested years in creating a unique cultural destination, the loss is immediate and severe.
- $27 on a Saturday
- Rickarby's sales
- around $1,000
- Typical Saturday sales
- two weeks after closure
- Time before impact
- more than 11 years
- Rickarby's ownership
Why it mattersWhen anchor businesses close, entire retail precincts can collapse. This shows the cascading risk for specialty shops.
AustraliaNewcastle's Islington, known for its independent and unique retail mix, faces possible decline if cafes don't reopen and foot traffic doesn't return.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 27 min ago
