Greville St Prahran: Push for permanent closure as on-street dining proves a hit
Temporary on-street dining along Greville St has proven so popular that traders are insisting it be made permanent, but will the local council agree?
Inner East
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Calls are growing to keep on-street dining on an inner city strip, with a trader saying it has deterred anti-social behaviour and made it safer.
Oscar Cooper general manager Ali Riebolge said the trial closure of part of Greville St in Prahran, introduced in November, had reduced anti-social behaviour and revitalised the area.
The restaurant is one of four participating in the initiative alongside Angus and Bon, Ladro and Ivy on Greville.
Ms Riebolge said the “street party” atmosphere and increased lighting had deterred drug and alcohol-affected people who sometimes gathered outside nearby Prahran Town Hall.
“At night time it would just be cooked people and drunk people everywhere,” she said.
“You’ve got so much community sitting in the street and they don’t want to congregate in that, and there’s lots of light and you feel safer.”
Ms Riebolge said the restaurant “100 per cent” supported continuing the outdoor dining arrangements, and permanently closing the section of Greville St between Macquarie St and Izett St.
“It’s created a lot of community engagement and its brought Greville St back to life again,” she said.
Stonnington Council chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said the council had received positive initial feedback about its street dining initiatives on social media.
Ms Weatherill said it would have discussions later in the year about the possibility of a permanent or seasonal closure of the area on Greville St.
“It’s really lovely to see people finding it a really positive gathering space and it has been a silver lining that has come out of COVID,” she said.
Chapel Street Precinct general manager Chrissie Maus said the Greville St closure and its usage was proof of “a groundswell movement for supporting local businesses”.
Ms Maus said the precinct would survey traders mid-February to “understand the true success of car bay dining and this Greville St closure.”
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