Mad Snake Cafe to become a key part of Air Raid Aracade’s rebirth

AN 80s style cafe is one of a number of new businesses set to pop up in a well-known NT shopping arcade in the push to revitalise Darwin’s ailing CBD

“The COLLINGWOOD of Darwin” — that’s how a Darwin business man sees the future of a forgotten CBD strip.

Matt Mulga, who owns the iconic Lola’s Pergola restaurant/bar in Cullen Bay, bought the Air Raid Arcade a year ago and has big aspirations for what it and Austin Lane could become.

“Darwin used to be a lot more funky, and then a combination of things including higher rent drove the funkyness out – some areas of Darwin are slightly sterile, tame, dull,” he said.

Sam Weston has opened Mad Snake Cafe in the Air Raid Arcade which is decorated with movie memorabilia, and collectables. Picture: Michael Franchi

“At the end we hope to ourselves to have a late night licensed supper club, we’re just in the process of that – upstairs we did apply and got approval from planning for a live music venue but that depends on the process of getting the Supper Club downstairs up and running.”

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One of Mr Mulga’s first pieces of the puzzle, a relaxing coffee joint with a hit of nostalgia, has been open for three weeks.

Owner Sam Weston’s Mad Snake Cafe is decorated with iconic film posters, action figures and memorabilia.

“I’m a bit of an ’80s child, mum worked at a drive-in for most of my childhood so it was all movies and posters,” he said.

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“I want to try and get people to come in here and play different games – I want to have dating nights, social nights, get people come in and relax and enjoy themselves.”

It is one of several shops set to turn around the arcade’s fortunes.