EAST PERTH shop Glory X Press may take Perth Council back to the State Administrative Tribunal after a request for extended trading hours was refused last week.
Shop owner Jordan Qaraleh sought approval for a new alfresco dining area, additional signage, and to close at midnight instead of 9pm.
Council approved an alfresco area with two rather than four umbrellas, and the signs, but rejected the new closing time.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“The Council has not been fair. We are losing a lot of money,” Mr Qaraleh said. “There are around 20 convenience stores in the City of Perth that are open until midnight. There are around seven supermarkets open 24 hours in Perth.”
Mr Qaraleh said he had to fight to get the business at 8/90 Terrace Road open in the first place, despite local shops being permitted in the area.
“To get my business open nine months ago I spent about $80,000 getting through the State Administrative Tribunal. Why did the Council force me to use the SAT?”
He said before the meeting that if Council rejected the request for extended hours he would have “no option” but to return to the Tribunal.
Council received a petition with 123 signatures in favour of Mr Qaraleh’s application. A petition with 48 signatures against the application was submitted by Ms Kerry Fletcher, a resident at the complex on 90 Terrace Road.
Cr Judy McEvoy said the item was one Council has “had a lot of problems with”.
“Unfortunately the SAT agreed with the owners of the shop and that was the end of that… We are not able to fight this… planning staff have put a lot of regulations in place (and) I think they are adequate,” she said.
Cr McEvoy noted that since smoking is banned in alfresco areas, the new alfresco dining zone would discourage smoking outside the shop – one of the concerns residents had raised.
Cr Reece Harley said he could “completely understand” the perspective of residents.
“This is not necessarily the outcome they would like to see. There are concerns about noise, smoking, and litter… (But) A local shop is a use that is allowed in this precinct,” he said.
“The Adagio Towers – it’s a beautiful complex and residents are concerned the shop is not in keeping with that building. (We will) try our very best to ensure conditions on this approval are maintained.”