Save The Vineyard St Kilda: a bayside community fights to save an iconic live music venue from council eviction

Thousands of music lovers are backing an iconic St Kilda venue facing closure, as a dispute between the owners and a Bayside council escalates.

The future of The Vineyard in St Kilda is up in the air as the Port Phillip Council has issued an eviction notice for the iconic business. Picture: supplied.

Melbourne music lovers rally in the thousands to support a much loved St Kilda venue as a council threatens to pull the plug on the bayside hotspot for Aussie bands.

The Vineyard in St Kilda has been put on notice by the Port Phillip Council after a three-year long legal stoush that started over broken promises to redevelop the iconic site.

Port Phillip council mayor Heather Cunsolo has denied claims the owners received an eviction notice earlier this week as thousands of people have signed an online petition to save the “beloved” venue.

Ms Cunsolo said the only action taken so far had been the notice of default issued in 2023 “in relation to the tenant not complying with the requirements of the lease”.

“We have been working with the tenant to ensure they meet their obligations under the commercial lease,” she said.”

“Unfortunately, any development proposals put forward by the tenant over the years have not been suitable.”

According to council, the Vineyard owners have been ordered to submit a “reasonable plan” to upgrade the venue by February 26, or risk closure from the council landlords.

The eviction notice has come after the live music venue was packed with revellers celebrating the St Kilda festival.

St Kilda resident Kristie Klein started the online movement on Monday, which has gained more than 2,400 signatures in two days, saying the council had “underestimated how much the community loves the Vineyard”.

“The venue supports under established and small local artists in a way others don’t. The closure of it will mean there isn’t a place for them to go,” she said.

Ms Klein said prior to Covid, the council had worked with the community to negotiate a solution for all, but had since back-pedalled.

“After several years of negotiations, community input and announcing the go-ahead, the council has changed their mind with no clear reason,” she said.

“The council proposed a renovation that is not commercially viable and will see the venue shut down by June this year.”

Proposed upgrade for The Vineyard in St Kilda. Picture: Port Phillip Council.

In late 2022, Port Phillip council tried to end the lease of The Vineyard with brothers Johnny and Alex Iodice, saying they allegedly broke the terms of their lease by not redeveloping the property in an agreed time frame.

The Iodice brothers took the matter VCAT to prevent the council from taking back possession of the site.

Ms Cunsolo said mediation efforts had so far been “unsuccessful” and the matter remains before The Tribunal.

“We tried over many months to negotiate an exit of the lease which would have allowed the tenant to occupy the site until March 2024,” she said.

“They rejected this exit offer which would have allowed them to operate there for 13 out of the 15 years provided for under the lease, despite not providing the required investment in the building.”

The investment referred to an agreed development of The Vineyard, at no less than $1m within three years of the July 2011 15-year-lease renewal.

Owner Johnny Iodice, has owned The Vineyard St Kilda with his brother since 1999. Picture: Paul Jeffers

Despite Ms Cunsolo’s recent response to The Herald Sun, Ms Klein said the council had given vague reasoning to the community for the ongoing dispute.

“They’ve never given a specific reason for the eviction,” she said.

“I don’t think they’ve taken into account the history or the impact it has on the local economy.

“If it closes, other businesses around it might not survive.”

Ms Klein said the community was willing to fight the council to save the venue.

“They are the longest standing pub here, they’ve kept a thriving business, they’re loved,” she said.

“We are definitely going to send questions from the community, we will fight. They’ve underestimated how much we will support The Vineyard.”

Ms Cunsolo said the issue “was not about live music”.

“It’s about this important community asset falling into disrepair after the commercial tenant has failed to deliver $1 million worth of significant works agreed to in their long-term lease over 12 years.”

“It’s not fair to other commercial tenants who are doing the right thing if we ignore a lease breach of this magnitude.”

A historic photo of the venue, which was once tearooms. Picture: Supplied

The more than 100-year-old building has been providing live music to Melburnians for more than 20 years, but was first opened as a boathouse in 1886.

Just 20 years later, it started operating as a hospitality venue, as Italian architect Carlo Catani converted the boat shed in the Continental Tea Gardens, which opened the European style cafe to visitors from the adjoining parklands and beach.

In 1930 the venue was purchased by another Italian family, the Rubino family, and continued as a restaurant for the next 40 years, before evolving into a live music venue.