TWO more Brisbane restaurants shut up shop yesterday just a week after high profile venues Ortiga and Bistro One Eleven announced plans to exit the struggling industry.

Popular South Bank eateries Sardine Tin and Piaf closed their doors yesterday morning and industry heavyweights are now predicting many more will follow.

Staff members from Piaf and Sardine Tin were sent a text message yesterday and ordered to attend a 10am meeting. There they were told they had lost their jobs.

MORE: Bistro One Eleven, Ortiga closing

Both restaurants are owned by industry identity Simon Livingstone who has had them on the market since June.

He could not be contacted yesterday.

His CBD restaurant The Survey Co. was still trading last night.

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Andy Georges, owner of high end city eatery Il Centro, said yesterday the news was not surprising as the quieter months leading up to Christmas had created a make-or-break period for many venues.

"The industry is on its knees, and the costs of running a restaurant has gone through the roof - labour, with the introduction of penalty rates, is totally out of hand," Mr Georges said.

media_camera Piaf, on Grey St at South Brisbane, has closed its doors. PICS: David Kelly

Power bills have gone up by 25 to 30 per cent in the last three years, he said, and with an increasingly competitive market, restaurants could not afford to put their prices up.

The latest closures come as Brisbane Restaurant and Catering Industry Association CEO John Hart estimated that about 30 Brisbane CBD establishments had closed their doors in a year.

Jessica Pugh, events manager of Restaurant II, said new venues, including a new high end casual class of restaurant, were cannibalising the market.

"If you want to take our wife out, it's not Aria or MacDonald's anymore - there is a middle ground. Not everybody would necessarily notice the effort that goes into creating a high end people."

"We simply don't have the population, or the public transport, to support the industry. I didn't expect Bistro One Eleven to close. Anyone could be next - you can't pick it."

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Andy Buchanan, co-owner of popular fine diner Urbane and bistro euro, said most Brisbane restaurants were doing it tough.

"It's been a harder year, certainly harder than the two last years, '' he said.

"Just walking down the street, you can see that the city is a lot quieter than what it was twelve months ago."

Asher Blackford, former executive chef of Sardine Tin and Piaf, said he left the businesses two months ago.

"After working for Simon for multiple years, I'm really sorry for the way he's had to go about this,'' he said.

Mr Blackford expects more restaurants to close, at a rate of "one per week".

"People have a local [venue] now, whereas if you want to venture out to the Valley or Stones Corner, you need a minimum $100. You can't do it for $30 anymore.''

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Originally published as City restaurants 'on their knees'