COUNCIL will put a café on the south western corner of the lower ground floor of Council House.
Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said council’s history of running cafes and kiosks had not been good – the Beatty Park kiosk being a prime example.
“However, even we should be able to make a go of it with such beautiful grounds,” Dr Nattrass said.
It is likely council will turn to a specialist café operator such as Aroma or Dome to set up the café.
Councillor Jennifer MacGill said council’s café could be perceived as an attempt to stop its more than 600 workers patronising city cafés.
“The workers here should show some respect for the city that is paying their salaries,” Mrs MacGill said.
Councillor Laurance Goodman said council had fought hard to run coffee cart operators out of the city.
“We felt they were trading on an unequal basis with city businesses and argued on the basis of providing fair competition,” Mr Goodman said.
“Our people won’t shop in the city because we tell them to. They will shop in those city businesses that give them good service.”
