The Seasonal Brewing Company in Maylands will continue its four-year fight through red tape with Bayswater Council after it lost a bid to extend trading hours on Tuesday.
The microbrewery wanted to trade until 11pm Monday to Wednesday, midnight on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 10pm on Sunday.
It also wanted to turn off floodlighting in the carpark at 1am each morning rather than 11pm and use forklifts to move kegs of beer when the venue is not open to the public.
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READ NOWCouncillors voted 6-4 to reject the business’s bid to amend its 2018 approval despite City officers recommending the changes be accepted at their September 3 meeting.
Co-owner Nick Southwell said he was “very surprised and disappointed” with the council’s decision considering all other venues in the area operated until midnight.
“The main concern seems to be potential noise but we are right in front of a busy road so it’s not like a major residential area,” he said.
“A forklift would be the only safe way we could operate but that did not seem to satisfy them.
“We have to use a manual pallet trolley which is particularly dangerous for our staff so we are a bit concerned about worker’s compensation and the extra effort involved.
Mayor Dan Bull said while the City approved the original application, the council was concerned about the extension of trading hours from 7am to midnight and the possible danger to pedestrians of using forklifts.
“Late night venues can really impact residents in terms of noise… this venue has a beer garden which would make noise an issue,” he said.
“It is important to strike a balance between supporting local businesses and reducing the impact of late night venues on residents’ amenity.”
Mr Southwell said he planned to appeal the decision at the State Administrative Tribunal.
He said he was also waiting for the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor to approve a liquor license after receiving “conditional approval” to permit trading for onsite liquor consumption from noon to midnight on Monday to Sunday and operation of the brewery from 7am to 9pm on Monday to Friday.
He said the amount of time, financial expense and other “petty” approvals that the business went through over the past four years was “absurd”.
“We just want to open as soon as possible and show everyone we are not the ‘boogeyman’,” he said.
“All of the facilities we have got here is really going to make a fantastic hospitality experience.”