A SPECIAL electors’ meeting will be held Monday to discuss plans for a controversial bar and concert venue at Arthur Head.
The meeting was triggered after the Fremantle Inner City Residents’ Association submitted a 158-signature petition to mayor Brad Pettitt on February 11.
FICRA claims the council is proposing a 21-year lease for an 850-person capacity tavern on public open space at the A-class reserve.
Sunset Events is also planning to hold concerts for up to 1500 people at the heritage site.
Modest
Ratepayer groups claim council fostered the impression a modest bar and cafe was all that was planned.
Dr Pettitt says the council hadn’t known the scale of the proposal before calling for expressions of interest.
“This development would book-end the beach with grog.”
FICRA committee member John Dowson, a former deputy mayor, says the council runs the risk of turning the heritage arts precinct into a beer precinct.
“In that small, sensitive heritage area we would like to see a small bar limited to 120 people, in keeping with the original proposal,” he says.
“We already have lots of liquor outlets in the area, including the fisherman’s co-operative building, taken over by Cicerello’s, which has permission for 950 people on the top floor.
“This development would book-end the beach with grog.”
Lead petitioner and FICRA committee member Dick Baynham wants the council to abide by its alcohol management policy.
“We are also calling on councillors to reject issuing a 21-year licence to run 15 ticketed concerts a year for audiences of 1500 per event on the basis that this public open space is not suitable for taking this number,” he says.
“The timeframe of 21-years is far too long—and such concerts should clearly be given one-off permission, then evaluated accordingly.
“It has been mentioned the planned lease has now been reduced to licence 400 or 500 people rather than 850, but this information is we believe deliberately misleading.
“The council in fact proposes approving a licence for a lesser number for a trial period only before allowing the number to grow back to its stated 850 capacity at its own discretion.”
The special electors’ meeting will be held at Fremantle town hall, Monday February 24 at 7pm.
by STEPHEN POLLOCK
A good meeting. I doubt the Mayor and his cohorts are very interested in changing their mind. Cr Rachel Pemberton and Cr. Sullivan have wasted no time in making cynical statements towards to age of people who attended the meeting.
Maybe these two should represent people in their chosen demographic of 18-25. Oh sorry, there’s not enough people of that demographic to get you voted in.
If you work hard and are lucky enough to buy a place in Fremantle, then have a say. I don’t want people like Cr Pemberton and Cr Sullivan denigrating and not representing the wishes of the people in Fremantle.