A refurbished Whyalla Foreshore Café is a step closer, with expressions of interest for an operator now open.
Whyalla City Council CEO Justin Commons said Council views the foreshore as an important and exciting asset for both locals and tourists, with an upgraded café being a key element to its success.
“With our new jetty attracting record tourist numbers, and Council currently undertaking an ambitious Foreshore Master Plan, it’s critical for a high-quality café facility to be part of this enhanced foreshore experience,” Mr Commons said.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the Whyalla community, so we’d like to encourage local businesses and entrepreneurs with the relevant skills and vision to step forward and engage with the expression of interest process.”
Following the closure of the café earlier this year due to health, safety and building non-compliance issues, an extensive community survey saw the majority of respondents wanting the existing building to be retrofitted as a compliant café operation.
Council committed to undertake the necessary capital works once a suitable operator was chosen via an expression of interest (EOI) process.
“Council has appointed well-regarded commercial leasing and tourism specialist, Savills Adelaide Director Rob Williamson, to run the EOI campaign,” Mr Commons said.
“We engaged an experienced outside party to undertake a completely independent, unbiased and robust process.”
Mr Williamson, who has successfully negotiated some of the most enduring, long-term food and beverage contracts in South Australia, said he was seeking to find the best-suited candidate to deliver a first-class food and beverage experience.
“I’m looking forward to assisting Council in finding an operator that can meet the needs of both the community and the growing number of tourists to the foreshore area,” he said.
“I believe now is the perfect time to establish an exciting vision for the foreshore area, and a quality food and beverage experience will be vital to the success of this vision.”
The expression-of-interest campaign will run for the next three weeks, closing on Friday 4 June at 5pm. Once selected, the successful lessee will then assist with design and layout of the new-look café prior to works commencing.
If you would like to participate in the EOI process, please contact Savills Directors Rob Williamson on (08) 8237 5026, or Steve Bobridge on (08) 8237 5015. A copy of the EOI document can also be found on Council's Foreshore Precinct Hub; while physical copies will be available from next week at Council’s public offices.
Visit the Foreshore Precinct Hub here