Hop Hen Brewing Lilydale fights to save beer garden

It has become a treasured local spot to enjoy a beer in the sun, but a Lilydale business is facing an uphill battle to get a council permit to keep its beer garden operating.

Hop Hen Brewing Lilydale is fighting to save its beer garden.

Thousands of locals have joined a Lilydale brewery’s fight to save its treasured outdoor beer garden.

The owners of Hop Hen Brewing have been running the beer garden from the driveway of their Beresford Rd factory since 2021, when outdoor dining was encouraged during Covid.

The business was supported by the state government to open an outdoor dining space, which became hugely popular with locals, including many dog walkers, who enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine.

But with pandemic exemptions now over, venue owners Mike and Jodie Leonard are facing an uphill battle to secure a permit from Yarra Ranges Council to keep the beer garden open.

The council has concerns over unintended impacts from permanently converting the common property designed for carparking and deliveries, into outdoor dining, and the service of liquor in that area on surrounding businesses.

But more than 4400 people have signed a petition calling for the beer garden to be saved.

“Losing our Beer Garden will have a direct impact on the sense of community our local brewery has worked so hard to create,” the petition states.

“Businesses and community members have faced some significant challenges over the last few years and we all continue to feel the impacts.

“To lose this safe, well-managed and thoroughly enjoyed outdoor area in Lilydale feels like another blow to our business and our customers, at a time when we want to offer opportunities to reconnect and be together.

Hop Hen Brewing Lilydale is fighting to save its beer garden. From the left: Missy Batten (Venue/Sales Manager), Jodie Leonard (Owner) and Mike Leonard (Owner).

“Our fondly named Beer Garden quickly became one of the most popular features of our brewery. We overlook beautiful gum trees and Poyner Reserve, with this safe, clearly sectioned area offering a comfortable, bike friendly, relaxing outdoor environment to meet friends, finish a walk or just sit down and enjoy some sunshine and a drink. And it’s a dog friendly space!”

Jodie told Leader News the couple had been blown away by the community support for the petition.

They are planning to present it to the council at an upcoming meeting.

“We were completely blown away and just so overwhelmed by all of the community support, it’s been amazing,” she said.

“(The beer garden) is something that is really appreciated by everybody who comes to the brewery.

“Sunshine and fresh air, which was so important during Covid, still is now.

“Even in cooler months people bring blankets down and they are there with their dogs … we really want to try and keep it going.”

Jodie said the beer garden had no impact on parking at nearby businesses and they had full approval from their body corporation and from neighbouring businesses.

The council is currently assessing a planning permit for the brewery to amend an existing permit to allow permanent outdoor dining in the common property carpark, including an extension to the licenced area.

The application proposes five tables with 15 seats total in the outdoor loading bay, and extends the licenced area for the business to serve alcohol to cover this loading bay area.

The maximum patron numbers would remain at 85.

The dog friendly beer garden has been a huge hit.

The council’s planning and sustainable futures director Kath McClusky said during the pandemic the brewery was temporarily allowed to use the area for outdoor dining without any planning permissions or considerations, which was supported by council and strongly encouraged by the state government.

“However, these pandemic exemptions ended last year, which means retaining this as a permanent outdoor dining space now needs planning permission – to ensure properties are used appropriately, safely and in accordance with local planning rules,” Ms McClusky said.

“Every business that used temporary outdoor dining during the pandemic has had to either remove their outdoor dining space, or ensure it has a planning permit to stay.”

Ms McClusky said in a meeting with the applicant and their consultant earlier this year, council identified that it had concerns that there could be an unintended impacts from permanently converting the common property designed for carparking and deliveries into outdoor dining and service of liquor in that area on surrounding businesses, as well as setting a precedent that could impact industrial areas in town.

It also identified other concerns, regarding common property, impact on other industrial businesses and safety concerns.

The council is seeking more information from the applicant before the application goes on advertising and the council continues its assessment.