Top Dog Cafe, which operates out of Hume & Iser Home Timber and Hardware, was forced to halt its delivery service late last week because of council compliance issues. 

Owner John, who declined to give his last name, said the service would close permanently. 

“We didn’t fit the criteria for a home delivery service, basically,” he said. 

“We’re supposed to be a class-

one cafe, whereas we’re a class-two cafe, which doesn’t fit the criteria for council’s home delivery service. 

“We thought we were doing a good service for the elderly, but council believed otherwise. We’ve had a lot of aggrieved customers.” 

John admitted the problem was “partly (their) fault” because the business was non-compliant. 

He said there had also been “a couple of minor issues” relating to food, but wouldn’t elaborate. 

He said a health officer had recently cleared the business of any concerns. 

“There are several fines in place if you don’t carry out their instructions,” John said. 

“We’ve bitten the bullet. We used to do roasts, casseroles... old-style cooking that the old dears used to like. 

“We’re just going back to doing our pies and dim sims from now on. We can’t provide home delivery for clients, we can only provide light meals on-site.” 

Helen Waite’s parents have used the service for about two months, and she said she was deeply concerned.

“There must be one way to support these people to continue to work,” she said. 

“It provides for the community.”

Ms Waite works in Wagga and said her parents struggled to cook for themselves. 

“I’m absolutely disappointed,” she said. “It’s another level of difficulty for them and it must be affecting other people.

“These people offered a wonderful service. I’m sad for them and sad for their customers.”

City of Greater Bendigo environmental health and local laws manager Susannah Milne said there had been a “level of risk” in preparing meals for home consumption at the premises. 

“The Hume & Iser Home Timber and Hardware Top Dog Cafe has not been closed by the City of Greater Bendigo,” she said. 

“Environmental health officers recently completed an annual assessment of the cafe and asked the owners to stop undertaking a food activity that was not suitable, given the size and location of the premises and the level of risk associated with preparing and delivering take-away meals to people at home.

“The Top Dog Cafe can continue to operate as a cafe, serving food and beverages to patrons sitting in the store.”