Porties Pop-Up: People power saves beachside pop-up

PEOPLE power has secured the future of a popular summer pop-up wine and food event in Port Noarlunga.

Amy and Paul Graham, who operate the Porties Pop-Up at Port Noarlunga, are relieved their event can continue to operate, after a single noise complaint nearly forced them to close. Picture: Greg Higgs

PEOPLE power has secured the future of a popular summer pop-up wine and food event in Port Noarlunga, after a single noise complaint threatened to cut it adrift.

Onkaparinga Council staff told Amy and Paul Graham, who own and operate Porties Pop-Up, that they would need to apply for development approval for the event.

The application would need to include a study of carparking and noise, which would cost the couple about $12,000.

The Graham’s posted to Facebook about their troubles, which attracted more than 300 comments in support of the Saltfleet St event.

The flood of support prompted the council to back down on its development approval request, and instead ask Mr Graham to submit a much cheaper application.

Mr Graham said council staff also told him they would also back his request for a temporary liquor licence.

“The council had one complaint from a local who said it was too noisy,” Mr Graham told the Southern Times Messenger.

“Our liquor licence lets us play music until midnight and we have always stopped it at 10.30pm or before.

“(The council) backed off quite a lot after social media went ballistic over it.”

Mr Graham started the pop-up in November after being out of the workforce for seven years due to a neck injury sustained from falling from a ladder.

Up to 200 people have attended the Saturday night event every week during summer.

The 490sqm block of land is among other businesses and within walking distance to Port Noarlunga beach.

He hoped the event would be back up and running later this month.

Ms Graham, who runs the nearby Beachside Dental Studio, said the pop-up had just reached a point where it was making a profit.

“Paul was the head of our household, the bread winner, and to see him stop working six or seven years ago was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster,” Ms Graham said.

“This has been really beautiful to watch, as far as seeing him build something that he put so much heart into, so much time into, and it wasn’t really about the money.”

Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg said council staff had been working with the couple since the pop-up opened.

“There was a complaint relating to noise and traffic – all of the things that get covered by a development application,” Ms Rosenberg said.

“We can’t be anti those people who have to go through the process and set themselves up but on the other hand we don’t want to stifle entrepreneurs.

“A pop-up could lead to another business.”