Phoenix shuts for second time in 2 years - hopes to rise again (again)
The Phoenix pub in Canberra's city centre has had to shut its doors for the second time in two years until further notice.
In a Facebook post on Monday the pub said it was unable to pay for another quarter of licensing and insurance fees, and had to shut.
The pub was heavily damaged in a fire that destroyed most of the Sydney Building in February 2014 and said it was still waiting on the insurance claim.
"We have been repeatedly advised that it would clear by this week, but as it has not we unfortunately have to shut until it does," the post said.
"We are not giving up and hope to inform you of our reopening soon."
The latest closure marks a streak of bad news for Canberra's treasured dive, which held a fundraising gig in January last year after warning it could no longer afford its rent.
Before that, the pub's lease was terminated by LJ Hooker Commercial over fire safety concerns after renovation works in March 2017. It reopened a week later.
In a Facebook post last year, the pub detailed the long term effects the fire, which started in a neighbouring restarant, had on the once-larger venue.
It said not long after the fire, in 2015, 48 hours of rain pouring through the damaged roof caused even further damage and when repair contractors had been brought in to fix the pub it had been gutted.
This left The Phoenix without a keg room and bar before it was asked to return the bar in a usable condition, claiming it cost $250,000 in repairs to open the doors again.
The closure in March 2017 was in relation to further renovation works, which the property managers said made it a fire hazard, but The Phoenix fixed it and the doors reopened in a week.
LJ Hooker Commercial was contacted for comment but said it no longer oversees The Phoenix.
Attempts were made to contact the owner of The Phoenix.