Outdoor dining can return to The Beach Hotel Jan Juc this summer, in a Surf Coast Shire Council pilot program that will help determine if the initiative should be rolled out shire-wide.
Council has endorsed the Parklet Pilot Program with The Beach Hotel, which is able to transform four kerbside car parks into a street hospitality space from 1 December 2023 to 31 March 2024. It is dependent on the hotel entering a licence agreement which covers amenity, insurance, safety and accessibility requirements, while the hotel also needs to meet any relevant planning requirements.
Community input will be sought on the pilot over summer and beyond. It will help inform whether a permanent parklet program and guidelines should be incorporated into Council's Local Law, so more of the outdoor dining spaces can be considered across the shire.
Councillor Rose Hodge is looking forward to hearing feedback from locals and visitors.
"We heard loud and clear through a petition with more than 1400 signatures that people wanted to see the return of outdoor dining at The Beach Hotel, which popped up during the pandemic as Council helped the pub - and 45 other local businesses - navigate density limits," she said.
"It's great that we've listened to the community and given the green light to this pilot program. I encourage people to let us know their thoughts again when it's up and running."
People will be able to provide feedback in a short survey, accessed through:
- QR codes in the parklet and other Jan Juc businesses.
- Council's Your Say webpage (surfcoast.vic.gov.au/YourSay).
