Council shuts down outdoor dining plans Picture: Supplied
AN Edithvale cafe owner who was planning to introduce outdoor dining this summer says that council’s rejection of his proposal is “a huge opportunity lost”.
Kingston Council has been encouraging local venues to expand outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic – offering free outdoor dining licences and footpath trading permits, as well as dining pop-up licences. Despite that, council struck down a plan for The Crowded Hour to expand its outdoor dining space into Beeson Reserve.
The Crowded Hour owner Rogan O’Shannessy said he was blindsided when council rejected his proposal. He said he “had spent months developing the plans with the support of council staff, only to have the proposal declined less than three weeks before its planned opening.”