Brew-pub woes in Melbourne

[Feldon]

A couple of craft brewery-related stories in the Melbourne press over the last few days. A reminder that running a brew-pub is not all froth and bubbles - if it’s not the bloody council, it’s the bloody residents!

Regarding the Moon Dog story, anyone who grew up in Melbourne in the ‘70s and 80s (even the ‘90s?) will remember the TV commercials of legendary Italian furniture store owner Franco Cozza - cult status urban culture stuff. Like many others I'm sure I can repeat the dialogue of the ads with a perfect Italian accent but don’t understand a word I'm saying.


Leading Melbourne craft brewery La Sirene closed indefinitely due to asbestos
by Emma Breheny, The Age Good Food Guide, 6 Dec 2022

Two months after the high of opening its long-awaited brewery bar, Melbourne craft brewer La Sirene's operations have been brought to a grinding halt due to the presence of asbestos in the Alphington precinct at which it's located.
According to a statement by Darebin City Council, the council found traces of asbestos in two buildings at the Melbourne Innovation Centre, where La Sirene occupies a large former artillery factory.
On the afternoon of December 2, La Sirene's founders, Costa and Eva Nikias, and their staff were suddenly locked out of their production brewery "out of an abundance of caution" by the council.

(see: Leading Melbourne craft brewery La Sirene closed indefinitely due to asbestos )

Residents to fight brewery’s takeover of Franco Cozzo showroom
by Sophie Aubrey, The Age (Melbourne) 7 Dec 2022

Residents are launching a campaign to stop Franco Cozzo’s Footscray showroom from being turned into a brewery, out of fear it would exacerbate problems with parking, traffic and noise pollution.
Last week, Maribyrnong City Council released a planning application by Melbourne brewing company Moon Dog outlining plans to transform the Cozzo building into a three-storey live music venue with a rooftop bar, playground and capacity for 900 people.
Moon Dog plans to retain Cozzo’s famous style by installing a grandiose baroque fountain and ornate furniture, and by keeping the Hopkins Street warehouse’s famous signage and mural.
But while the plans have drawn much excitement, they have left some residents frustrated.
Sophie Vassallo decided to lead a community campaign objecting to the planning application.
“It does make me angry that some people are just supporting the proposal. It will bring no value to the locals,” the 29-year-old said.

(see: Residents to fight brewery’s takeover of Franco Cozzo showroom )

 

[JDW81]

What annoys me, is that a few cranky residents (who chose to live in the inner suburbs, where it is already busy - and Footscray is a very busy place) can complain and scupper a project, despite it being something that would benefit a large proportion of the community. I know plenty of people in the inner west of Melbourne who this sort of place would benefit.

Probs a bunch of Nigel no friends, who can't stand to see other people having a good time.

Could also be other businesses complaining as well. When I worked in bars in Newcastle, there were heaps of complaints about venues from so called "residents". Turns out it was other night clubs trying to screw the competition.

JD.

PS - used to love the Fraco Cozzo ads!

 

[Feldon]

For the uninitiated (and check out the comments under the video on the YouTube page).



I worked in a factory in South Melbourne in the early 80s and one of the packing girls there got married and her parents had given her a Franco Cozzo imported bed as a wedding present. She brought pictures of it to work and showed everybody. It was a huge garish thing of carved wood with a Monza red padded leather headboard, with a friggin cassette deck stuck in it. Wedding night must have been thumping - doof, doof like an old Valiant with the speakers in the boot.

 

[JDW81]

I remember the country highway motels having cassette players and radios in the bed heads. Used to think it was the coolest thing ever as a kid.

 

[Hangover68]

Ugliest furniture i have ever seen but the TV ad is inprinted in my brain, yes if you choose to live in the inner suburbs then you have to expect the noise and chaos.

 

[Loch Sport Brewery]

Its hard work running the gauntlet of our planning and liquor licencing system. If you have never been forced to go to a court or tribunal it is daunting - I've worked as councillor and council officer, and solicitor in planning and property matters, as licensee and owner of a city night club yet going through the planning and liquor licencing procedures for my own craft brewery and distillery starts the tension all over again. Tax Office excise manufacturers licence was easy by comparison. Hopefully I'll get through the planning process without objection, but with something like the Footiscray site you just have to factor into the cost of doing business a VCAT hearing to allow the objectors to vent their hurt feelings.

 

[Feldon]

Here's the Facebook page for the anti-development mob at Footscray.



"Footscray deserves childcare, health care, and affordable housing, not a gentrifying brewery".

 

[YAPN]

"Footscray deserves childcare, health care, and affordable housing, not a gentrifying brewery".

Any person who comes out with something like this is showing a fundamental misunderstanding of how society functions.

In fact it could be argued that the extra taxes to be paid by both Moon Dog and it's patrons will help gov to provide better childcare, healthcare and housing.

 

[DU99]

All the High rise being built in the area.....where do we park...and get rid the drug trade in footscray they should going for.....

 

[Feldon]

Seems Footscray ‘s had a drug problem for years - this from the Canberra Times, Sat 18 Jan 1992 p.16.

(Maybe Moon Dog should check under the floorboards before they move in)

 

[JDW81]

Yep, Footscray has long had a reputation for drugs. If you want it, you can find it on and around Barkly street. Head down for some Vietnamese food, then pick up your weekend supply of heroin on your way home. Good times all round!!

 

[Feldon]

Wonder whether Moon Dog will resurrect this 30 year old amusement when they move into Franco Cozzo’s old premises - bus loads of voyeurs passing by to take a perv at the patrons. Could give rise to a signature house brew, perhaps a Heterophobic Bitter.

Sydney Morning Herald, Wed, 23 Jan 1991, p.23.

 

[Feldon]

Bloke wins, sanity prevails.

Grand ale for Footscray as brewery gets council’s green light for old Franco Cozzo site​

by Lachlan Abbot, The Age (Melbourne) 12 Aug 2023
(pic by Justin McManus)

A council in Melbourne’s inner west has reversed an earlier planning permit denial to give the green light to brewery Moon Dog’s proposal to turn Footscray’s iconic Franco Cozzo furniture showroom into a bar and music venue.

Maribyrnong City Council in June refused Moon Dog’s application, citing risks to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists alongside amenity impacts on the surrounding area.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...or-old-franco-cozzo-site-20230812-p5dvys.html

 

[philrob]

The primary purpose of councils and the public disservice is to remain in employment by making work for itself. The permit was never up for approval on the first application, thus complying with my view of their method to maintain themselves and their funding.
Your views may vary, and with apologies to any on the public payroll.

 

[Dave70]

The primary purpose of councils and the public disservice is to remain in employment by making work for itself. The permit was never up for approval on the first application, thus complying with my view of their method to maintain themselves and their funding.
Your views may vary, and with apologies to any on the public payroll.

..breaths in through clenched teeth.. harsh..

We're under BHSC here. Are you implying it didn't actually require three visits from two representatives from the 'pool safety squad' and a highly detailed five page report in A4 display folder complete with photos and recommendations, plus two subsequent letters spelling out penalties for non compliance, time frames and application to book another inspection?

Are you saying the same outcome could have been achieved by one person trained to use a measuring tape who could have just popped round the back and said 'mate, the branch from that bottle brush is within the 90cm allowable radius, cut it back and you're sweet'?

Surely not..

 

[GrumpyPaul]

..breaths in through clenched teeth.. harsh..

We're under BHSC here. Are you implying it didn't actually require three visits from two representatives from the 'pool safety squad' and a highly detailed five page report in A4 display folder complete with photos and recommendations, plus two subsequent letters spelling out penalties for non compliance, time frames and application to book another inspection?

Are you saying the same outcome could have been achieved by one person trained to use a measuring tape who could have just popped round the back and said 'mate, the branch from that bottle brush is within the 90cm allowable radius, cut it back and you're sweet'?

Surely not..

Off topic from the Op....but I can relate to this.

SO much red tape and bureaucracy.

I want to build a deck around a soon to be install swimpsa.

I figured I have to get the pool safety fence checked so I better get a permit for the deck...

So to get a permit and build myself I have to get an owner builder exemption.
Even though I'm doing all the work myself it will still be considered a building site and must satisfy all the safety BS because the building inspector will step foot on site and it has to be safe for him- so I have to get my White Card
To get my white card I have to do a 6 hour in person course - can't be done online.
Then Vic Building won't accept my Certificate of Attendance as proof I did the course - I have to wait 4-6 weeks to get the actual card and show them that.

While all that is happening I find out I'm in an Erosion Management Overlay zone. - so I have to lodge a planning application
Despite the fact that our plans involve no excavation or works that might cause any erosion issues - I still have to pay a bucket load of $$$ to be told its OK to build a deck

So a process of getting plans drawn up for a permit that started back in March and has cost a bucket load and is still ongoing.

I've got my white card
I've got my owner builder exemption
I'm told by the council the recommendation has been made to grant the planning permit - just waiting on his supervisor to sign it.

Hopefully I can get the building permit and start in a few more weeks

All this because I thought Mr Council man (or building inspector) might say "where did this deck come from" when he comes to check my pool fence.

No wonder people don't bother getting permits.


I

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Off topic from the Op....but I can relate to this.

SO much red tape and bureaucracy.

I want to build a deck around a soon to be install swimpsa.

I figured I have to get the pool safety fence checked so I better get a permit for the deck...

So to get a permit and build myself I have to get an owner builder exemption.
Even though I'm doing all the work myself it will still be considered a building site and must satisfy all the safety BS because the building inspector will step foot on site and it has to be safe for him- so I have to get my White Card
To get my white card I have to do a 6 hour in person course - cant be done online.
Then Vic Building wont accept my Certificate of Attendance as proof I did the course - I have to wait 4-6 weeks to get the actual card and show them that.

While all that is happening I find out I'm in an Erosion Management Overlay zone. - so I have to lodge a planning application
Despite the fact that our plans involve no excavation or works that might cause any erosion issues - I still have to pay a bucket load of $$$ to be told its Ok to build a deck

So a process of getting plans drawn up for a permit that started back in March and has cost a bucket load and is still ongoing.

I've got my white card
I've got my owner builder exemption
I'm told by the council the recommendation has been made to grant the planning permit - just waiting on his supervisor to sign it.

Hopefully I can get the building permit and start in a few more weeks

All this because I thought Mr Council man (or building inspector) might say "where did this deck come from" when he comes to check my pool fence.

No wonder people don't bother getting permits.


I

Agree with this but I did my white card online last year

 

[Dave70]

Off topic from the Op....but I can relate to this.

SO much red tape and bureaucracy.

I want to build a deck around a soon to be install swimpsa.

I figured I have to get the pool safety fence checked so I better get a permit for the deck...

So to get a permit and build myself I have to get an owner builder exemption.
Even though I'm doing all the work myself it will still be considered a building site and must satisfy all the safety BS because the building inspector will step foot on site and it has to be safe for him- so I have to get my White Card
To get my white card I have to do a 6 hour in person course - can't be done online.
Then Vic Building won't accept my Certificate of Attendance as proof I did the course - I have to wait 4-6 weeks to get the actual card and show them that.

While all that is happening I find out I'm in an Erosion Management Overlay zone. - so I have to lodge a planning application
Despite the fact that our plans involve no excavation or works that might cause any erosion issues - I still have to pay a bucket load of $$$ to be told its OK to build a deck

So a process of getting plans drawn up for a permit that started back in March and has cost a bucket load and is still ongoing.

I've got my white card
I've got my owner builder exemption
I'm told by the council the recommendation has been made to grant the planning permit - just waiting on his supervisor to sign it.

Hopefully I can get the building permit and start in a few more weeks

All this because I thought Mr Council man (or building inspector) might say "where did this deck come from" when he comes to check my pool fence.

No wonder people don't bother getting permits.


I

I feel the blood pressure rising..

My business manufactures and supplies pretty much all one needs to pull a shed of any size out of the ground.
I'll paraphrase how many of the conversations go:

Me: So, this goin through council mate?
Client: Ha!..Nope..

 

[GrumpyPaul]

I feel the blood pressure rising..

My business manufactures and supplies pretty much all one needs to pull a shed of any size out of the ground.
I'll paraphrase how many of the conversations go:

Me: So, this goin through council mate?
Client: Ha!..Nope..

Don't get me started on unpermitted sheds.

Previous owner built a 30x8 shed without them. Council had issued building order to make compliant or remove it.

He didn't declare that order on the sale documentation.

Legally the building order sits on the property... So it became my problem once we bought it.

Cost me close to $30k to get it sorted.

Thankfully I took out an insurance on purchase that covered it.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Off topic from the Op....but I can relate to this.

SO much red tape and bureaucracy.

Hopefully I can get the building permit and start in a few more weeks

All this because I thought Mr Council man (or building inspector) might say "where did this deck come from" when he comes to check my pool fence.

No wonder people don't bother getting permits.


I

All comes down to logic and risk, what would life be like without any risk. My logic would say the pool fence inspector is just that, a pool fence inspector. He only has his sights set on the fencing nothing else, he doesn't turn up with armed with a layout of what is there or shouldn't be there.
Never had anything much to do with the council, pitted my wits with the ATO a number of times, but the biggest buzz is not how much money avoided the clutches of the ATO but the risk of doing it.