Thursday 19 June 2008

Enjoy the view, not the service

The master has spoken.

Councillor Alan Blake invites you to a CBD restaurant. Any restaurant.

Re-emerged from the grave, Councillor Alan Blake made a profound statement this week, in light of Council's decision to reclaim Villa Romana's stolen public land.

Blakie has put on notice all restaurants and cafes that use public footpaths for their customers.

He said the Villa Romana issue highlighted all restaurants with outdoor dining on public footpaths don't own that 'space'. Blakie says that these areas are not "owned" exclusively for the business or their customers.

This means that anyone is allowed to enjoy this outdoor space, including reclining on their provided seats, regardless if you're dining!

Blakie told the Cairns Post last Friday that [Villa's extensions] “should never have happened. This will send a very clear message to everybody out there that the rules are the rules.”

So, let's test this...
  1. Grab at least five of your mates.
  2. Buy a $2 can of coke from Woolies.
  3. Take your lappie.
  4. Wander along the Nard.
  5. Find a nice spot.
  6. Enjoy!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe Cr Blake should take a look at the Apres Beach Bar and Grill in Palm Cove. I recall this was a subject of challenge some time ago but it definitely needs looking at again if only for the safety aspect. The very large Dutch owner of the Bar is also an obstruction that needs knocking down.

Anonymous said...

The reality is "Who really cares" They are not impeding flow of pedistrain traffic!! All I see is the Villa Romana offer a service to the Locals and Tourist alike and enhance the the overall appearance of the city. Every major tourist city embrances outdoor dinning in some way shape or form and this is want cushions the other traditional tourist activities. As rates a due to increase - who really wants our money wasted on this exercise?

Anonymous said...

Putting Villa Romana aside with their permanent walled enclosed encroachment, all restaurants with outdoor dining pay a licence to occupy and compensate the rate payers for the use of the Council maintained footpath.
They pay for the seats and tables, so don't expect a free lunch using their tables, chairs and licenced space.
You are so much a typical chardonnay quaffing socialist Michael.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha "Quickie".. you accuse Mike (the editor of this blog) of being a 'typical chardonnay quaffing socialist' for suggestiing to go a use the seats and tables of the said restuarants that occupy (yet pay a council fee) public footrpaths for dining...

I read the story (above, and in the Cairns Post.. and it was the Rt Hon Councillor Blake the Snake that actually suggested it first...

DOH!

Anonymous said...

you're right Brian. But as per usual, Mike puts it more eloquently and with beautiful English prose than Blake could every muster.

I bet they're his company's chairs and tables at most of these establishments in the first place. Talk about being two-faced!!!!

Anonymous said...

Leave Al the Mayor-in-wanting alone.

What did he do to deserve all this crap?

Anonymous said...

Brian ... all you have read is MM's interpreted version of what Cr Alan Blake said.
Now go read what he really said.

Anonymous said...

Quickie, thius is what Blake said.. direct from teh Cairns Post...:

CAIRNS POST
Fri 13th June

Cr Alan Blake said the Villa Romana issue had also brought to light that restaurants holding outdoor permits did not own those areas exclusively and were obliged to allow access to the furniture to members of the public, whether they were patrons or not.

In the case of Villa Romana, he said, even access had been denied as it been walled in.

....
Now eat your words!

Anonymous said...

OK, I'll explain for you duh !!!

He was referring to encroachments of a permanent nature, not some tables and chairs legitimately using space for which an outdoor dining licence fee has been paid.

If you and MM wish to eat your byo mung bean sammys and quaff byo chardonnays using someone else's paid for seats and licenced area ... then so be it.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor in waiting Cr.Blake,must have a very good PR person handling his affairs.He is in the news far more than any other councillor including the Mayor.
This fellow has already had 8 years in Council,why did he not raise his hand during this period in order to attend to the matters he is now spouting about.I do not think he is very bright,he could however become very dangerous.