Brisbane City Council award Brisbane Botanic Gardens Cafe lease to Zen Catering
A NEW lease has been awarded for a cafe at one of Brisbane’s most visited sites. It comes after the previous tenant walked out after a bitter stoush with council.
South West
Don't miss out on the headlines from South West. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Mt Coot-tha cafe has been given a new lease on life after a bitter stoush lead to its abrupt closure this year.
Brisbane City Council has announced that Zen Catering would be the new operator of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens cafe and function centre.
Quest News reported in May that a stoush between the past operators and Brisbane City Council saw the cafe abruptly close.
It was understood construction of the Legacy Way tunnel and plans to introduce food trucks to the gardens caused the proprietor Mounir Ibrahim to lose money.
Council claimed they had worked with the cafe to overcome challenges through Legacy Way’s construction including waiving $180,000 of unpaid rent.
Mr Ibrahim’s lease expired on May 31.
Zen Catering, operator of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs Cafe, took over the cafe on an interim basis before being awarded the nine year and ten month lease yesterday.
Council received just two tenders for the lease and operation of the site with the second bid coming from Gambaro Enterprises.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Zen Catering had developed a strong reputation for delivering quality catering at venues across the city.
“Not only is Zen Catering planning enhancements to the venue spaces, but they’re planning a revamp of the menu and a host of other activities to activate the gardens and encourage more visitors,” Cr Quirk said.
The $643,000 fitout of the venue will be funded by Zen Catering.
The cafe will be part of the 56ha site and offer breakfast and lunch seven days a week and a function venue available for evening events.
Last year the cafe serviced the 500,000 annual visitors to the gardens and the 750,000 users of Mt Coot-tha walking trails.
Opposition Leader Peter Cumming said he supported Zen Catering being awarded the lease.
Mayor calls for urgent infrastructure funding statewide
A federal parliamentary inquiry has heard from Queensland councils are struggling to pay for infrastructure as the state’s population growth surges.
Your ultimate guide to every gun club in Queensland
A new public shooting gallery catering to unlicensed shooters as young as 11 has opened as firearm sports experience a surge in popularity. See our exclusive list of all gun clubs in Queensland.