Tropic of Capricorn hopes to open in Todd Street

A new bar could be open as soon as next month in Alice Springs with two applications for venues on the main street before planning authorities. Read what’s in store.

Epilogue Bar on Todd Street, Alice Springs. Picture: Supplies

Alice Springs could be home to a new bar on its main street with an application for a development before the Territory government.

Tropic of Capricorn, at 62 Todd St, is currently a cafe but the business owners are seeking a change of use to open the venue as a bar.

It would transform the site from the existing and approved cafe to a public bar with allowance for food trucks for patrons.

“This will involve the demolition of one of the existing buildings on site, and internal fit-out of the other,” the application reads.

“It is also proposed to add shade structures, decking and a stage to the venue, while retaining existing trees on site where possible.”

Epilogue Bar on Todd Street, Alice Springs. Picture: Supplies

A liquor licence application is pending.

If approved, the Tropic of Capricorn venue would open in October this year, with the application noting the timeframe was “crucial to enable the venue to operate before the wet season”.

The bar would have a maximum capacity of 200 patrons, including an allowance of 50 in the indoor area.

The details, set out by Tatam Planning Co, include a retrospective application for the existing Epilogue Lounge and Rooftop to secure the necessary approvals to trade.

Epilogue Bar on Todd Street, Alice Springs. Picture: Supplies

The documents state the venue, at 58 and 60 Todd St, was previously approved and allowed a change of use from a restaurant to a hotel which including alfresco dining and an outdoor lounge bar.

“Through a simply misunderstanding, the condition precedent on this permit (being for amended plans) was never satisfied, and thus the permit was deemed to have lapsed,” the documents read.

“However works and land use changes … went ahead and exist on site.

“The site has an existing liquor licence.”

Epilogue has approvals for 180 people in the existing rooftop bar, with another 180 in the indoor and alfresco areas.

The application notes Epilogue’s building height does not contravene planning guidelines, and is in an existing two-storey building.

The Tropic of Capricorn proposes the “fit out of an existing single-storey building on site and addition of single-storey shade structures to a beer garden/alfresco area”.

“Vistas are not considered to be impacted,” documents state.

Originally published as Tropic of Capricorn hopes to open in Todd Street