Another of Melbourne’s Chinatown’s institutions shuts its doors

After nearly 30 years on Melbourne’s Little Bourke Street, the much loved Chinese restaurant Ling Nan has shut its doors for good. 

Part-owner Sherri Mong confirmed to Broadsheet  that Ling Nan has closed permanently.

“I just don’t have the funds to reopen,” she says. “And we definitely couldn’t survive going into next year.”

This decision came after a number of failed rent renegotiations.

“Personally, I feel a bit lost – and up in the air – at the moment … It’s very sad. I’ve been working there for more than 15 years and I thought maybe I’d work for another 10 or 15 and then retire.” 

According to Mong, the rapid decline started to become evident around Chinese New Year, which is usually one of Ling Nan’s busiest times. 

This was the time COVID hit our shores and Chinatowns all across Australia started to become ghost towns. 

When speaking of her long time, loyal customers Mong revealed, “A lot of them grew up eating our food so they’re more shocked than anything.”

Mong has hopes that one day Ling Nan will be able to open its doors again in a different location. 

“I feel like it’s such a waste,” she says. “I’m trying to see if we can reopen somewhere else, somewhere in the city.” 

The closure of Ling Nan is another blow to Melbourne’s China town after the closure of another popular restaurant, Shark Fin House in February. 

Shark Fin House, which had been in operation since 1989, was part of Shark Fin Group, which also owns fan favourite Shark Finn Inn, a highly sought Sunday afternoon Yum Cha destination.

With lockdown ending in Victoria and summer upon us, it is expected Melbourne’s Chinatown, which is the oldest Chinatown in the Western world, will recover.

Irit Jackson, 10^th November 2020