Aldi Manly: Microbrewery plan for abandoned waterside supermarket site

More than two years after the Aldi supermarket on Manly Wharf closed its doors, a bold new plan to transform the site into a hospitality hotspot has been revealed.

Founders of the Artemus Group, which has taken over Manly Wharf, Adam Flaskas (left) and Paul Henry (centre), with their CEO Luke Fraser, in Manly.

An abandoned Aldi supermarket site is set to be transformed into a waterside microbrewery and pub as a popular Sydney tourist hub undergoes a makeover.

Artemus Group, Manly Wharf’s new owner, has lodged a $13.5m development application with Northern Beaches Council as part of massive refurbishment plans.

The group bought the leasehold to the wharf for $80m — and purchased the adjacent Wharf Bar for $30m — in May last year.

It already has a track record in riverside hospitality projects, having developed Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves precinct, which includes the Felons microbrewery, a boutique luxury hotel, event spaces and a range of restaurants, cafes and bars.

Howard Smith Wharf, Felons Brewing in Brisbane.

When Artemus took over the Manly Wharf leasehold, it said it was looking forward to “breathing new life” into the site.

Since then, it has vowed to make the area more inviting for locals, commuters and tourists by “revitalising the waterfront precinct into a premium hospitality destination, creating a thriving community and cultural hub for kids and families to grown-ups and everything in between”.

Manly Wharf currently has 20 specialty tenancies, including some of the seaside suburb’s most popular eateries like Hugos, The Bavarian and Sake.

To help guide its plans, Artemus commissioned a local survey in July, asking residents of Manly and surrounding suburbs what they wanted to see at a refurbished wharf.

About 80 per cent of the 179 locals surveyed supported the creation of dedicated spaces for cultural events and performance.

Better facilities, including public toilets and more casual dining options, topped the list of what locals wanted most.

The ALDI supermarket on Manly Wharf at Manly pictured on September 5, 2022. The store will close on September 14. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

The development application includes new publicly accessible toilets and weekend daytime markets, which would be held inside the new premises on four Saturdays each year.

Documents linked to the application show Artemus also plans to have dining options in the microbrewery and offer “occasional live performances”.

“The pub and microbrewery will serve as a hub for local artists to showcase their craft in the form of live music and performances, as well as high-quality, artisanal food and beverages,” according to the state of environmental effects.

“Aside from the economic benefits, the premises becomes a space for patrons from the local community and visitors from further away to enjoy what local artists and producers have to offer.”

The new premises would be operated by the one management team in conjunction with the Wharf Bar.

The pub part of the premises would have two bars, at either end of the building, serving food and drinks.

Felons Brewing Co at Howard Smith Wharves.

Patrons at the microbrewery will see 144 wooden barrels for ageing the beer, as well as four brewhouse hot and cold liquor tanks and fermentation tanks.

“This space will have direct lift and stair access from the basement public parking and provide access through to the existing Manly Wharf Hotel,” documents state.

Artemus Group chief executive Luke Fraser said the development application was a “step in our process to transform the wharf into a lively community precinct that more people can enjoy”.

“We know there is a lot of support for a revamp of the area,” Mr Fraser said.

“We’ve been focused on improvements that will make the wharf better for everyone, including 24/7 security and improved cleaning.

“The abandoned retail space formerly occupied by Aldi has been vacant for some time and we want to take the opportunity to make use of it.

“We have a lot of experience creating incredible spaces and we look forward to sharing this with the Manly community.”