Sydney Cafés Are Shutting Down — But It’s Not What You Think

It’s easy to blame the usual suspects: rent, inflation, or labour shortages. But dig a little deeper into the café closures sweeping Sydney in 2025, and you’ll find a quieter culprit: hygiene complacency.

☕ What’s Going Wrong?

• Health inspections are catching cafés off guard

• Low-star Google reviews citing dirty bathrooms and tables scare off new customers

• Word-of-mouth is instant — one photo of a cockroach = 3,000 fewer footfalls

📉 Case Study: Newtown Crash & Burn

A café near King Street saw sales dip 40% after a viral TikTok showed their mouldy under-counter storage. One month later, shutters down.

💡 Recovery Plan

• Schedule regular deep cleans (especially storage, bathrooms, vents)

• Invest in visible hygiene (hand sanitiser stations, fresh-smelling spaces)

• Work with a cleaning partner who takes it personally — like Ultrix.

CTA: Sydney’s café culture is worth protecting.

Don’t let hygiene kill the vibe.