A “doggy diner” in a beachside town has mysteriously closed less than a year after opening.
Rumours began circulating on social media after a handwritten note was taped to the shopfront stating it “had to close”, citing a local council as the reason.
However, Noosa Council has hit back at the rumours and said it was not responsible for the closure.
Droolers Delight Doggy Cafe opened on September 15 last year offering dog treats and ‘puppuccinos’, plus coffee and pastries for people, from 18 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach.
It also served as a bricks-and-mortar outlet for Noosa-based dog treat company Droolers Delight, which owner Sylva Pechackova started in 2021.
The most recent post on the Droolers Delight social media pages was on March 5 and the sign on the door has been up since at least May 26.
“We had to close our community initiative due to council and charges,” the sign stated.
In a statement to Sunshine Coast News, Noosa Council said it had been in contact with the owners regarding a permit, however, had not ordered the cafe to be shut down.
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It is understood the council staff wrote to the owners earlier this year advising about the need for a Footpath Trading Permit.
Under council’s local laws, the use of the area fronting the cafe required a permit.
Director of development and regulation Richard Macgillivray said Noosa Council was unaware of the specific reasons for the closure of the cafe.
“There were some initial discussions about the need for Footpath Trading Permit earlier in the year, however no application has been received,” he said.
According to the Droolers Delight website, Ms Pechackova began making treats for her own dog, Chilli, after being unsatisfied with the quality of existing treats on the market.
Her products use Australian human-grade local meat and seafood, including sustainable, line-caught reef fish.
The cafe doubled as a community initiative, teaming up with the Noosa-Coolum Salvation Army’s Thrive Noosa Cafe enterprise to train students and raise funds for the Thrive Youth Program to re-engage students in education.
The Droolers Delight website is still active for online purchases.
Sunshine Coast News has attempted to contact Ms Pechackova for comment.
