Iconic Wilsons Boathouse in battle to keep bayside location

An award-winning seafood restaurant on Brisbane’s bayside could be forced to close after 17 years at a picturesque waterfront location.

Neil Jedid, owner of iconic bayside restaurant Wilson’s Boathouse, Manly. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

AN award-winning seafood restaurant in Brisbane which has wined and dined Hollywood star Angelina Jolie will fight to the end to keep its picturesque bayside location.

Wilson’s Boathouse could be forced to close down after owner Neil Jedid was advised he was unsuccessful in the Expressions of Interest process with the Queensland Government and the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) for its base at Trafalgar St, Manly.

However, after receiving advice from his lawyers, Mr Jedid said they will appeal the decision.

The restaurant has been based at the location for more than 17 years and has had a number of notable identities including former Australian Prime Minister John Howard and famous actor Angelina Jolie dine there.

It also won the Queensland Formal Seafood Restaurant for Excellence and the National Gold award for excellence in Formal Seafood by the Restaurant and Catering Association in August last year.

WILSONS BACK WITH A BANG

SEAFOOD RESTAURANT FUTURE IN DOUBT

Mr Jedid has been on a month to month lease since 2013, which he said made it difficult for his business to prosper because he could not host weddings and bigger events, which needed to be planned months in advance.

Wilson’s was relaunched in early 2019 after completing more than $400,000 of renovations before TMR controversially launched the EOI process for the land in November.

Mr Jedid said he did the renovations with the full knowledge and acceptance of the State Government.

He also said he was informed last month he was unsuccessful in his bid to extend his lease at the location but TMR last week offered him six months rent free to operate during the coronavirus.

“It’s devastating, my family and I have poured everything I have into this restaurant and have made it a vastly improved facility,” he said.

“All that money I have spent on improving the restaurant will go to waste because TMR own the land.

“I have been here for 17 years and have made sure we played a big role in the community, supporting local businesses and other organisations like the junior sports clubs.”

Neil Jedid after he relaunched his restaurant last year. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

Mr Jedid said he was still unsure why he had only been able to hold a month to month lease with TMR since 2013 while other businesses in the area were provided long-term contracts.

“Most other businesses in this area have long term lease extensions like 10, 20 and even 40 years without going out to any EOI’s and I have been working with a month by month lease for a very long time,” he said.

“I am unsure what the plans are from here, we’re just continuing to support the staff and the community by working through a takeaway service during this coronavirus and we’ll see what happens.”

A TMR spokesman said the EOI was run by an independent real estate agent where eight businesses submitted their interest, which was commercial-in-confidence.

“State Government policy requires management of state-owned property to deliver best value for Queensland,” the spokesman said.

“The EOI process was a competitive tender run by an independent real estate agent.

“The independent agent assessed the expressions of interests submitted by eight businesses.

“Due to the financial information required for assessment in those submissions, details of individual submissions are commercial-in-confidence.”

The spokesman also said the independent agent has advised Greenbeacon, which is Wilson’s Boathouse, it was unsuccessful in the EOI process and TMR has advised Mr Jedid a month’s notice will not be issued before June 30.

Wilson’s Boathouse has remained open during the coronavirus pandemic, doing takeaway and home deliveries with majority of their staff still employed.