Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate hopes to have beach bars open by Christmas

If the thought of drinking a cocktail while sitting on the sand at some of our most famous beaches sounds like paradise, well, you may be in luck.

If the thought of a cocktail on the sand while taking in all that the Gold Coast has to offer sounds like paradise, a new ‘beach bar’ concept in Queensland will have you feeling like you’re in Greece in no time.

In a bid to reinvigorate the hard-hit tourism sector amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate hopes to establish ‘beach bars’ at select locations along region’s 55km of sandy coastline.

These bars, while only in the development stage, would allow beachgoers to have a drink and a light snack without having to walk off the sand to a nearby bar or pub.

It’s a concept that’s already working for Adelaide, which launched the European-inspired ‘Mosley Beach Club’ for South Australians to visit and enjoy during the summer months.

A ‘beach bar’ concept is already in action in Glenelg, South Australia.

A spokesperson for Mr Tate said their ‘beach bar’ idea wouldn’t be far off what’s been developed in Glenelg, with easy-to-move deckchairs, barriers and umbrellas installed rather than solid structures on the sand.

Gold Coast Council is pushing for a two-year trial for beach bars to be established in selected areas along the coastline, such as Burleigh or Miami Beach, pointing to a hopeful launch date of December 1.

But Deputy Premier Steven Miles said holiday-makers to the region shouldn’t get their hopes up just yet, given the initial concept design still had a long way to go prior to approval.

Some of the Gold Coast’s best beaches could soon have a beach bar on the sand.

“We [State Government] are all for considering innovative ideas that will draw more people to our tourism centres, but they need to be done right and very carefully,” Mr Miles told media Tuesday.

“The reputation of our beaches and the Gold Coast worldwide is very important so we cannot jeopardise that.

“A proposal is under active consideration … and we will consider them very closely.”

Mr Miles said the design process of the beach bars and how they will function accordingly remained up for debate.

“There’s a wide range of planning regulations at play that we need to consider … impact on the beach, amenity, erosion … as well as the permanency of any structures,” he said.

Mr Tate said in a statement to news.com.au that the beach bar concept would be a welcome addition to the Gold Coast, that would only compliment the region’s “reputation as the number one domestic tourism capital of Australia”.

“We need to renew our tourism products,” Mr Tate said.

“A beach bar trial will showcase the 55km of open beaches at our doorstep and give visitors the chance to kick off their shoes, enjoy a light meal and a quiet drink as the sun sets behind the hinterland.

“I will absolutely rule out any commercial activation of our beaches beyond the enclosed trial area. This trial will bring us up to speed with other states that have established beach bars, drawing in thousands of tourists and locals annually.

“Once Council has finalised the concept (next three months), we will be calling on the State to approve the trial so we can look at starting in the 2021-22 summer break.’’

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said ‘beach bars’ would be a welcome addition to the region.

Last year, a similar albeit more permanent concept was floated at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Sydneysiders were urged to sign a petition that would see part of the iconic beach sectioned off for people to enjoy a drink and some food while on the beach.

Dubbed 'Amalfi Beach Club', the plan was not dissimilar to what's being proposed on the Gold Coast, which would essentially block off a section of the beach, add in seating and serve customers food and alcohol right on the sand.

The Amalfi Beach Club floated a ‘beach club’ idea for Bondi Beach in 2020, where attendees would pay $80 per person for two hours at one of the cabanas, with food and drink not included in the price. Picture: Amalfi Beach Club/FacebookSource:Facebook