XXXX brewery admits to operating Alehouse without council permit

Brisbane’s Fourex brewery has admitted to an oversight which means it has operated part of the Milton site illegally for more than 15 years.

FOUREX brewery has been left red-faced after it confessed to running its Alehouse, bar and restaurant for more than 15 years without a permit.

The brewery admitted its oversight to the Brisbane City Council before it last week lodged a development application for a material change of use of the premises.

The application, filed on behalf of Castlemaine Perkins Pty Ltd, claimed it had been operating the bar and restaurant without the correct paperwork.

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The popular eatery and watering hole, as well as the retail outlet, is on the corner of Black and Paten Streets. It accommodates some 15,000 visitors each year.

Cassi Forbes, Lydia Williams and Amanda Fenner at The Alehouse at the XXXX Brewery in Milton, Brisbane. Picture: AAP/Claudia Baxter

“On behalf of the applicant, Castlemaine Perkins Pty Ltd, we lodge herewith a development application seeking a development permit for a material change of use involving use of part of the existing XXXX brewery building at 185 Milton Road, Milton for a food and drink outlet, shop and tourist attraction,” the application stated.

“It involves The Alehouse facility, which was established in 2002 but appears to have done so without development approval.”

The development application includes plans that date back to 2003, an engineering, town planning reports including assessment against relevel codes and proposal drawings.

A Fourex spokesman said it was business as usual at the Alehouse while the application was being processed.

The Alehouse and restaurant evolved from the success of the brewery tours and somewhere along the way XXXX forgot to get the council’s approval. James Scriven and Klariz Danao at XXXX Ale House. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

“We’d like to reassure lovers of XXXX that brewery tours will continue, and operations at the brewery will continue as normal,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“However we can’t provide comment on the status of or issues pertaining to the outcomes of the Development Application while it is under consideration by Council.”

The Alehouse and restaurant evolved from the success of the brewery tours and somewhere along the way XXXX forgot to get the council’s approval.

A council spokesman said the application was being assessed in accordance with State Government planning laws and there were no plans to fine the brewery.

“Brisbane City Council became aware the XXXX Alehouse was operating without an appropriate permit when the brewery contacted Council after discovering the oversight themselves,” the spokesman said.

“Tours of the brewery may have begun as an ancillary use to the brewing operations, however, their popularity has grown and they are no longer considered ancillary.”