Council moves motion for Kingaroy cafes to pay outdoor dining fee

Recovering hospitality businesses will soon have to fork out hundreds for alfresco dining, but it could have been far higher if a South Burnett councillor got her way.

Jane Erkens suggested businesses should pay $2500 to have alfresco dining in the heart of Kingaroy.

Businesses wanting to introduce alfresco dining at Kingaroy’s main street will have to pay more than $500 a year, following a recent council decision.

South Burnett Regional Council councillors voted at Wednesday’s meeting that cafes would pay an annual fee of $500 to use the Kingaroy Street public highway for alfresco dining, while hotels would fork out $1000.

The fees would be for businesses adjacent to the Club Hotel Kingaroy and the Commercial Hotel Kingaroy.

It prompted a lengthy debate with councillor Jane Erkens suggesting $500 was not enough and it should instead be $2500 a year for two-years.

Ms Erkens said it was less than $50 per week.

“I understand the need completely to see them occupied however I believe giving the hospitality businesses six months … they’ll know if the business is going to be successful and if it’s worth continuing,” Ms Erkens said.

“As someone who has had a lot of experience renting to people, if you keep a low fee because you’re trying to be nice to them and if they can’t afford it it’s going to fail anyway.”

Councillor Scott Henschen said he understood it had been in discussion for a long time but thought $2500 was steep.

“Rather than a two-year period maybe a twelve month reviewing period,” Mr Henschen said.

Councillor Kirstie Schumacher said local businesses were doing it tough and she was in support of the original annual fee of $500.

“Be mindful they do pay enormous rates,” Ms Schumacher said.

“We are a small business friendly council.

“This isn’t something new, the council has been offering permits at $55 for years.”

Ms Erkens said you want someone who wants to pay that amount of money and make their business a success.

“We want the owners putting work into it, if we give (alfresco dining) to them there’s no value,” she said.

“The $55 they’re paying is a license fee, they’re not paying us rent.

“We want those people who own those cafes to be putting work back into it, working a few extra hours to make that money back is the whole point.”

After a lengthy debate, council amended the resolution to charge adjacent businesses to the hotels a fee of $1000 annually for the hotels and a $500 for cafes.

There will be no fees for the first six months and for all fees and charges to be reviewed after twelve months.