Golden Wattle to be part of Adelaide City Council trial to introduce paid street parklets

A popular CBD bar will pay $15,000 to commandeer two on-street parks and a loading zone as part of a council trial to create more outdoor dining space during the pandemic.

Golden Wattle part-owner David Blumberg on Pirie Street. Picture: Colin James

A popular city pub and restaurant will pay $15,000 for a street parklet as part of an Adelaide City Council trial.

The Golden Wattle is seeking permission to erect a small seating area on Pirie St to create more outdoor space for customers.

The council now has a policy of not charging for outdoor dining space to support hospitality outlets during the pandemic.

However, with increasing pressure to find ways to generate more revenue, staff have suggested introducing a user-pay system for parklets.

They have recommended making businesses cover the costs of lost street parking, so council income remains the same.

The Golden Wattle will participate in a trial where it will pay $15,000 for two parking spaces, which generate about $11,000 each year, and the loading zone.

A report, to be discussed at a workshop on Tuesday, said council administration had received requests from businesses after a previous parklet program in Bank St.

Those parklets were ripped out in 2016 after businesses complained about “a dog’s breakfast” that led to them frequently overflowing with litter and being a haven for drunks.

Two paid parking spaces and a loading zone would be used for the parklet outside The Golden Wattle. Picture: Colin James

The report said the council had supported the installation of a number of parklets within the city between 2012 and 2016.

“The volume of requests has increased since Covid-19, partly due to the additional pressure on businesses to achieve appropriate social distancing,” it said.

“Following the impacts of Covid-19 on hospitality businesses, and in particular the effects of attracting visitors to outdoor dining locations, there is growing interest for additional outdoor dining space and the concept of parklets,” it said.

“Since the closure of the parklet program, administration has continued to receive interest from business to install parklets,” it said.

The report said The Golden Wattle had submitted a planning application for a parklet in January, which received provisional support from staff: but, because it would be on the street and not the footpath, new guidelines needed to be developed.

This included the ability to charge businesses to use parking spaces which would usually create income.

“Fees are charged for the occupation of on-street parking spaces within the city, as it restricts the community from accessing on-street parking and, in the case of paid parking, impacts council’s revenue,” said the staff report.

Parklets also would need to be designed so they were able to be packed up and moved.

The Golden Wattle parklet is proposed to be 26sq m, with flooring and sides. There would be bicycle parking at one end. Chairs, tables, pillows and other items would be packed up at the end of each day.

Council staff had surveyed 17 nearby businesses about the parklet with none of them raising objections.

The Golden Wattle would be issued with a 12-month permit if councillors agreed to proceed with the trial at their monthly meeting this month.