Salute Espresso to leave Coffs Harbour jetty as council roasted over lease

Coffee-lovers reach boiling point as tender process results in eviction for much-loved business

From the end of April Salute Espresso will no longer operate at the Coffs Harbour Jetty. The kiosk will be taken over by The Hub. Photo: Jay Black

Coffs Harbour City Council has raised the ire of a key demographic – coffee drinkers – after popular cafe Salute Espresso lost its lease at the jetty.

Salute Espresso has been making coffees at the prime waterfront location for three years and on Wednesday revealed Council had opted not to renew their lease.

The cafe moved in December 2017 after the agent offering the lease on behalf of council received more than 60 inquiries, making it one of the most popular he had ever seen. 

Their last day in the kiosk will be April 26.

“Thank you for the last 3 years. They have been a whirlwind of hard work and laughs among the best people we could have imagined,” Salute stated.

“Whether you bought one coffee or 50 million acai bowls, we Thank YOU and we SALUTE YOU.”

There were plenty of kind words for the Coffs Harbour outfit whose main premises is on Park Avenue Lane in the CBD, with many thanking Salute for the “great coffee” and “beautiful” staff.

Though the language became a little more ugly as Salute’s post was shared across social media and people struggled to comprehend why Council would choose to evict the business.

Salute Espresso will no longer operate out of the Jetty kiosk at Coffs Harbour. Photo: Salute Espresso.

Council has since released a statement indicating an “external independent agency” conducted a “competitive expressions of interest process” to find a new tenant.

“Council can advise that the current lease expired in December 2020 and at the time the tenant was given formal notice of the expiration of the tenancy as per Council’s requirements under the Retail Leases Act,” a spokesperson said.

“The expression of interest opened on 12 February 2021 and closed on 17 March 2021 and at the end of the period, 7 expressions of interest had been received, these were short-listed to 3 who were interviewed.

“The choice of the successful applicant was unanimous across the panel.”

When asked why they sought expressions of interest a council spokesperson said it was “the appropriate choice to make as there was no option to extend the lease that expired”.

“Competitive tender processes are undertaken to deliver the best outcomes for the community,” the spokesperson said.

Council would not say whether they were compelled to seek expressions of interest under current legislation.

The new lease has been awarded to Jonathan Oates, who runs the Hub Cafe in Sawtell and Woolgoolga and the Hub Kiosk at C.ex Stadium, another Council-owned property.