The usually bustling Public Bar at Manuka was deserted on Thursday afternoon. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Popular Manuka watering hole Public Bar has been shut down for serious food safety breaches at one of the busiest times of the year.
ACT Health and Community Services Directorate (HCSD) closure notices have been slapped on its doors.
A government spokesperson said Public Bar was closed on Wednesday (17 December) by the directorate’s environmental health officers (EHOs) under a Prohibition Order for breaches of the Food Act 2001 (ACT).
“The order was served on the business because it was necessary to prevent or mitigate a serious danger to public health,” the spokesperson said.
The directorate was not able to provide details on matters which are the subject of regulatory action under the Food Act, but the spokesperson said HCSD was not aware of any notified instance of food-borne illness in connection with the business.
“HCSD is strongly committed to transparency and part of this is to ensure food businesses are afforded natural justice and procedural fairness in relation to any matters raised,” the spokesperson said.
Where a prohibition order was served, EHOs are required to place a closure notice at each public entrance to the business. The business must maintain the notice in place and take reasonable steps to ensure the notice is not removed or obscured.
The business must remain closed until the prohibition order had been complied with and the business had passed a further inspection.
The spokesperson said HCSD took an engage and educate approach with businesses to ensure they understood their responsibilities and obligations under the Food Act and the Australian New Zealand Food Standard Code.
In the 2024-25 financial year, HCSD officers made 2472 food business inspections and served 198 Improvement Notices and 26 Prohibition Orders.
As at 30 June 2025, there were 3791 registered food businesses in the ACT.
