A PROPOSED tavern development opposite the Subiaco Hotel has been met with strong resistance from local operators, residents, and the City of Subiaco.
A PROPOSED tavern development opposite the Subiaco Hotel has been met with strong resistance from local operators, residents, and the City of Subiaco.
Its fate rests in the hands of the Town Planning Appeals Tribunal, which will hear an appeal from the tavern’s applicant, Murray Kimber, on March 7.
Mr Kimber is the proprietor of Chutney Mary’s Indian Restaurant, located on the corner of Rokeby Road and Hay Street and has lodged a tavern liquor licence application with the Office of Racing, Gaming and Liquor for premises that would be known as Centro Wine and Coffee House. Approval from the office will be the next step for Mr Kimber if his planning appeal is successful.
The application is for the site that houses his Chutney Mary’s Indian Restaurant, which was redeveloped only six months ago.
It is the second Subiaco-based tavern application at the ORGL to meet a strong backlash from commercial operators.
The Bailey at Centro is a proposed development at the Subi Centro site and while it has planning approval from the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority the site’s fate rests with the liquor licensing court.
Sonja Gastevich’s The Bailey at Centro tavern application was lodged in February 2002 and referred to the liquor licensing court, which is scheduled to hear the matter on March 27.
A total of eight Subiaco businesses and seven residents have lodged objections to the Centro Wine and Coffee House tavern licence application with the ORGL.
One of those is Oriel Cafe proprietor Loretta Evangelisti who said there already were enough taverns in Subiaco.
Ms Evangelisti said she was opposed to any new tavern operating in Subiaco, including The Bailey at Centro.
“We don’t need any more drinking establishments,” she said.
“There is a moral obligation. Thousands and thousands of dollars are spent on drink driving campaigns and then we have all these drinking establishments sprouting up.”
However, the ORGL will not proceed the Centro Wine and Coffee House application until the development receives planning approval.
The City of Subiaco, which is named as an official objector to the Centro Wine and Coffee House’s tavern licence application, has refused to grant planning approval.
Mr Kimber has taken the matter to the Town Planning Appeal Tribunal.
The Bailey at Centro has received five complaints from local operators however, unlike Centro Wine and Coffee House, the development has received planning approval.
Three of the five objectors have also objected to the Centro Wine and Coffee House, citing concerns about the size of the operation.
Subiaco Hotel and Llama Bar proprietor Michael Monaghan did not wish to comment on either of the developments. He said he wanted to reserve his statements for the liquor licensing court.
Club Red Sea’s management also declined to comment.
Sentiment expressed by some objectors was that another tavern would create an imbalance in Subiaco’s hospitality mix. One operator said he did not want Subiaco turning into Northbridge.
Murray Kimber, who only took over the Colonial Club Cafe and turned it into Chutney Mary’s less than a year ago, declined to comment.
Ms Gastevich said that if she is granted a licence her $4.5 million tavern could be operating in just over 12 months’ time.
