Outdoor dining fees for CBD eateries could be scrapped
OUTDOOR dining fees for cafes, restaurants and pubs could be scrapped under a proposal to be considered by Adelaide City Council.
Deputy Lord Mayor Houssam Abiad wants to eliminate all outdoor dining fees by the 2016-17 financial year, and the council will consider his proposal at its meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Abiad said the move to scrap fees was about recognising the importance of cafes and restaurants to the city.
“These small businesses activate the city every day,” he said.
“They go out of their way to put tables and chairs out so people can enjoy the sunshine but (the) council changes them a fee to do it.
“Then we pay people to activate areas of the city through Splash Adelaide. They are contradictory policies.”
The move will cost the council about $480,000 in revenue but administering the program, including assessing permits and maintenance, costs about $400,000.
“During the 2014/15 financial year, Adelaide City Council issued 442 outdoor dining permits and collected $480,000 in revenue,” a council spokeswoman said in a statement.
Mr Abiad said removing fees was a cost-effective way of making the city a more lively place to dine and drink.
“The council and the State Government have spent millions of dollars over the past five years on improving vibrancy in the city,” he said.
“This has a minimal cost and will give an incentive for more bricks-and-mortar businesses to offer outdoor dining, which will make a noticeable contribution to the city.”
Mr Abiad said eliminating the fees would also give a boost to struggling cafes and restaurants.
“I think everyone recognises that it is a pretty tough economic environment at the moment,” he said.
“We should be viewing this as an investment in the city’s small businesses.”
Kristian Livolsi co-owns the Rob Roy Hotel and the Taxpayer in the city and said the changes would save his businesses about $5000 each year.
“That’s money we could reinvest in making our outdoor dining area more beautiful or hiring someone for extra shifts to try and get more sales,” he said
Restaurant and Catering Australia deputy chief executive Sally Neville said the proposal would provide support to local small businesses doing it tough.
“It will definitely provide a bit of financial relief,” she said.
“I think it will also encourage more businesses to apply for outdoor dining, which will also help to improve the vibrancy of the city.”
Ms Neville welcomed Mr Abiad’s recognition of the role bricks-and-mortar businesses played in activating the city.
“It’s nice to have a bit more balance in the discussion around activating the city and vibrancy,” she said.
“For too long it (the discussion) has been centred around pop ups and not what bricks-and-mortar businesses provide (to the city).”
The proposal will be debated at Tuesday’s council meeting.
It would need to be approved by a majority of councillors before being enacted.
Source: Adelaide Now, Anthony Templeton, 23rd October 2015
Originally published as: Outdoor dining fees for CBD eateries could be scrapped
