Local cafe owner Ben McLachlan still in dark over parklet fate

The owner of an East Geelong cafe embroiled in a standoff recently met with council executives, but City Hall is keeping quiet despite saying “we need to take action now” three weeks ago.

Ben McLachlan has been in a year-long dispute with council to try and keep the parklet at The Local cafe in East Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd.

A cafe owner remains in the dark over the next phase of his ongoing stoush with Geelong council, with council refusing to comment on the future of the structure.

The Local cafe owner Ben McLachlan said despite the deck’s uncertain future, a recent meeting has left him feeling optimistic a solution may be found soon.

Mr McLachlan has been in an ongoing disagreement with council over the future of a deck at his East Geelong business, which was set up as a temporary instalment early in the Covid pandemic

It has since become an integral part of the business, however the temporary permit has expired.

City Hall last month sent contractors to dissemble the structure, only to be met with a snap public protest.

Mr McLachlan said a Wednesday meeting with council executives left him feeling as though there could be a road out of the scrap.

“We met with the council at short notice, to discuss our permit application,” he said.

“We are working with the city to fulfil their request for additional information and hopefully working towards a resolution.”

The City of Greater Geelong was contacted for comment, but remained quiet as to the future of the structure.

Council has been strong in its insistence that the parklet must go in the past, accusing Mr McLachlan of spreading “inaccurate information”.

“At least one vehicle has been known to have hit the (Local’s) parklet,” executive director of city infrastructure James Stirton said almost three weeks ago.

“We can’t sit by and wait until something terrible happens, we need to take action now.

“As the current site does not have a permit to operate and was constructed in a temporary way, it will need to be removed – either by the operator or the city.

“That’s the reality.”

Originally published as Local cafe owner Ben McLachlan still in dark over parklet fate