Furore over plan to have VIP stretch of Henley Beach for 100 ‘fully-catered’ lounge patrons
A NEW furore has erupted after a proposal to slug sunseekers for using a VIP stretch of sand reserved for 100 “fully-catered” lounge patrons at one of Adelaide’s best known beaches. What do you think: VOTE NOW
A PLAN to set up 100 sun lounges on Henley Beach this summer is causing tension between traders, while a residents’ group says it will create an “elite area” that will drive some families away.
Henley Beach Business Association chairwoman Gemma Antunes wants Charles Sturt Council to approve her idea, which she says will be akin to “Henley meets the Riviera”.
Under the proposal, individual businesses would pay for their own lounges and umbrellas and serve people food and drink on the beach on Fridays and Saturdays as a trial.
Ms Antunes hoped the council would waive any additional outdoor dining fees because it was a trial and businesses were taking a risk.
She said the area for the lounges would not be roped off and would not hinder surf lifesaving volunteers.
“I would love to lay on a lounge and have a lovely glass of wine and a dip platter and not have to worry about getting sand on my towel,” Ms Antunes said.
“It’s not a day club, it’s not a party scene. People would be experiencing something nice and a little bit special.
“I’m picturing proposals at sunset, and it’s just something we want to try that is a little bit different.”
But not everyone is convinced.
Royal Copenhagen Ice Creamery and Dessert Bar owner Kev Bennett said the idea was “ridiculous”.
“It’s an absolute joke, it’s going to affect our business big time,” Mr Bennett said.
“You’re not going to come up here to my shop in 40C heat from the beach to buy a bloody ice cream, I don’t care how good it is, if they sell them down there.”
Western Adelaide Coastal Residents Association president Jim Douglas said the plan was “not thought out”.
“It’s quite a stupid idea,” Mr Douglas said.
“It’s on the beach where the majority of families congregate, and what this creates is an elite area and takes away the beach from those people.
“It’s actually jeopardising families and probably would result in families avoiding this area because they go down to the beach with their picnic baskets and frisbees and bats and balls.”
Cibo Henley Beach owner Maurice Dichiera “didn’t know how it was all going to work”.
It might not be worth it once we find out how much it costs and that sort of stuff,” Mr Dichiera said.
“It’s in the initial period and I have to look at the finer details, but if we have to carry (food) out, in summer it is very busy, we’ve just got to look at all of that.”
Deputy Mayor Robert Randall said the sun lounges would be “another attraction for the local area” and would not hurt trade.
“The businesses will be the ones that run it so they would provide staff and it would be an extension of their outdoor dining on to the beach,” Cr Randall said.
Ms Antunes hoped to have the lounges in place by December, subject to council approval.