Carriage Cafe: City of Fremantle takes legal action over cafe demolition inaction

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Local News Chevron Down Icon North Central South Mandurah Competitions Find My Paper Digital Editions Shop Now Read your local paperNews to your inbox Breaking News Western Australia National World Technology Opinion Weather Camera IconCarriage Cafe Credit: Facebook Carriage Cafe: City of Fremantle takes legal action over cafe demolition inaction Gabrielle Becerra MelletPerthNow – Fremantle June 14, 2024 2:00AM Comments TopicsFremantleLifestyleLocal GovernmentLocal NewsSouth The City of Fremantle has no set plan for parkland where the once popular Carriage Cafe rests but is adamant the old train car’s days at Esplanade Park are numbered. Fremantle director of city business Matt Hammond confirmed to PerthNow the Carriage Cafe had ceased trading and the owner, who has tried unsuccessfully to sell the business, was yet to proceed with removal from the council-managed park. “Retaining the empty building on a busy public reserve is not a desirable outcome for the city or the community,” Mr Hammond said. PerthNow Digital Edition.Your local paper, whenever you want it. Read now TheNightly Get in front of tomorrow’s news for FREE Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.READ NOW “The city will consider plans for the site once the carriage has been removed.” In the meantime, the local authority has begun legal action against the cafe owner in an escalation of the impasse over the carriage, which has not served food or drinks in more than two years. “The cafe ceased trading in March 2022 and the city has since requested the removal of the carriage due to the lease being in breach and increasing safety concerns associated with the vacant structure,” Mr Hammond said. Owner David Furness has publicly chastised the city’s dealings in the time since he tried to sell the cafe, including challenging clauses in which the city referred to themselves as a “landlord” and him a “tenant”.Camera IconCarriage Cafe Credit: Facebook Mr Furness bought Carriage Cafe in 2017 and when its lease expired in 2019, continued on a periodic agreement. He wound down the business after COVID-induced financial pressure. After being approached by an interested buyer, Mr Furness said he began negotiations with the city to secure a longer-term lease but the proposed deal came with clauses with which he did not agree. “(It was) always my intent to sell for lifestyle reasons,” he said. “A real fundamental point is that they restricted my trade of business; for example, I wasn’t allowed to open after 2.30pm on particular days, depending on what time of year.” Mr Furness also claimed when he started the lease in 2019, the council had vowed to relocate the Carriage if there were ever to be redevelopment within the Esplanade Park. “Pioneer Park, Bathers Beach and South Fremantle were three options put to me,” he said. Now faced with a looming order to bulldoze, the private owner said he felt “pushed into a corner” and had also been told by the city he was not entitled to any arbitration. “It’s entwined on the trees on the Esplanade,” he said. “It’s been there for around 50 years affixed to the ground. I don’t know if I can move this. “There’s a number of things that are incorrect here, (the council is) pushing me into a corner.” Mr Hammond said the City of Fremantle has remained supportive of the sale of the business and in 2021 approved the assignment of the lease to a new buyer. However, neither this sale nor a subsequent intended sale proceeded. Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Email Us Copy the Link Register and have your say. Register to comment Already have an account? Log in Register Now!The Chevron City to Surf for Activ is celebrating 50 years! Keep the tradition or start a new one. 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