‘We have exciting plans’: Eat Street Markets changes hands
By Nick Dent
One of Brisbane’s most popular attractions has been sold – but its new owners promise it will continue to operate as before.
Eat Street Northshore, which serves up street food and live music every weekend among shipping containers at a former docks area in Hamilton, has been bought by markets operator Goodwill Projects.
Goodwill Projects operates 12 major weekly markets in south-east Queensland, including the West End Markets.
Eat Street Northshore is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings with street food, bars and entertainment.Credit: Tourism Australia
Director Mark Power said new seating areas were planned for the night market as well as new entertainment options.
“We’re investing some significant money into the site to give people a renewed, fresh offering, but the framework and the model remains exactly the same,” he said.
Supported by Economic Development Queensland, Eat Street began in 2013 as the brainchild of legendary Brisbane entrepreneur Peter Hackworth.
Hackworth opened her first restaurant, Primitif Cafe, in the CBD in 1958, as well as admired restaurant Scaramouche in the city and the Cat’s Tango in St Lucia. Her family currently operates the Riverside in the Gardens Markets and Kelvin Grove Markets.
Eat Street Markets began at Portside before moving to a larger Northshore site in 2017. Hackworth co-directed the business with TV personality Jacki MacDonald, publicist John Harrison and The Crocodile Hunter producer John Stainton.
Stainton said he was confident Eat Street would realise its full potential under its new owners.
“I think it’s just in its infancy, I think it’s going to be quite a big thing for Brisbane,” he said.
“We’re all getting a bit older and feel that it needs younger blood.”
Stainton said the idea of night food markets was new when they started and had been widely imitated.
“I think we’ve done a very good thing for the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, the future of Northshore Brisbane remains murky.
The waterfront urban renewal project hosts immersive experiences such as the Pink Flamingo and Bluey’s World, but has been earmarked for development as an Olympic Athletes Village and has even been proposed for the site of a stadium.
Premier David Crisafulli is announcing the government’s Games Delivery Plan on Tuesday, March 25.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.