East Bunbury cafe must pay $14,000 for parking

The Happy Wife cafe will need to pay the Bunbury City Council $14,000 for an additional four parking bays before reopening its expanded alfresco area on the Leschenault Inlet.

That was the decision made at Tuesday night’s council meeting and it is expected to be finalised next week.

The cafe was forced to shut its bigger alfresco area about four months ago after the council received a complaint from a neighbouring business about parking pressure in the area caused by the Happy Wife’s increased trade.

The council reduced the original charge of $18,000 by $4000 at this week’s committee meeting, admitting it would be a costly sum for a small business.

Cr Sam Morris, owner of Taffy’s on the Marlston Waterfront, said it would be a “heck of a hit” to the business.

He said he was not happy asking the cafe to stump up $14,000.

“We have seen example after example where businesses are given extra parking when there is a need,” he said.

Cafe owner Paul Griffin said the issues had been stressful for his family and his finances.

But he said he would be happy to find the funds to help resolve the parking issues.

Bunbury caterer Leonie Kershaw spoke against charging the “hidden treasure” thousands of dollars for parking.

“The alfresco area is so small that to recoup the money he may have to put his prices up,” she said.

“His prices are affordable and portions are generous, it would be a shame to see this change.”

Cr Karen Steele said the Victoria Street businesses had not been asked to pay for parking bays when the council opened up additional alfresco areas last month.

She said the World Kitchen had not been forced to pay for parking when it opened on the foreshore.

Other councillors said the $14,000 was a compromise given the cafe originally needed to find eight additional bays.

A number of councillors said parking in the area near the Parade Hotel and Leschanault Quays had to be looked at urgently.

Mayor David Smith said he welcomed suggestions about ways to fix the area’s parking problem.

Cr Brendan Kelly said the “vexed issue” of parking stretched beyond the CBD to Stirling Street.