Wynnum businessman Mark Beitz leads push for footpath dining as ‘bubble of excitement’ grows

Forget Bulimba and Teneriffe, this quiet bayside suburb could be Brisbane’s next big dining hub with plans gaining support from high profile business identities.

High profile baysiders have called for locals to back the push for Wynnum to become an outdoor dining hub or risk the rising suburb being set back “for the next 20 years”.

The call comes after prominent developer, Justin Ham, recently submitted a request to the Brisbane City Council to remove several car parks on the popular Bay Tce in favour of more footpath dining.

But the request was opposed by some bayside residents, including Councillor for Wynnum Manly (ALP) Peter Cumming, who believed it would hurt several business in the CBD which relied on takeaways rather than sit-down dining.

Bartons managing director Mark Beitz has backed the push for Wynnum to become a dining hub. Picture: Liam Kidston

One of Wynnum’s best-known identities, Bartons car dealership managing director Mark Beitz, has publicly displayed his support for the push for the area to become a retail and dining hub.

He said it was the perfect time to build on the suburb’s development boom, which would be capped off with the historic Wynnum Cinema set to open this week, as well as the success of new venues with footpath dining such as The Fat Duck.

The outdoor dining area at The Fat Duck, Wynnum packed on a Friday night.

“Very few restaurants, retail and bars have survived over the last 20 years however we now have a once in a generation opportunity to bring Wynnum Manly alive,” he said.

“Development is occurring like never before and to attract people to our community to support this we need to be more self-sustaining with retail and dining, much like areas such as Bulimba and Teneriffe just to name a couple.

Prominent Wynnum developer Justin Ham. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

“We are Brisbane’s only bayside so let’s support those investing into our community and give our residents good reason to stay local rather than having to leave the area for quality dining and retail.”

A petition was started last week to support Mr Ham’s request and now has almost 300 signatures, exceeding Cr Cumming’s opposing the removal of the car parks, which had almost 100.

Bay Terrace, Wynnum. Picture: Renae Droop

Mr Beitz, who has also recently completed more than $10 million worth of developments to Bartons showrooms in the area, said footpath dining was just one example of what bayside residents needed to support.

“Let’s find ways to tackle the challenges rather than just saying no and objecting to progress,” he said.

“If we miss this current ‘bubble of excitement’ we potentially set back Wynnum for the next 20 years.

“It will be too late in 12 months time when the new restaurants and bars along with the cinemas pack up and go elsewhere because we as a suburb block development.”