ABOVE: Ella Bryant and Bella Mayne at Sunnyboy cafe in Evans Head. Photo: Ash Oostdyck
Susanna Freymark
Sunnyboy Cafe owners put out a call for action after being told to remove the seating outside their cafe on Woodburn St in Evans Head.
Ella Bryant and Bella Mayne have been running the groovy corner cafe for almost five months.
Last week Richmond Valley Council instructed them to remove the outside seating which included stools, small tables and umbrellas.
Ella posted a “little call to action” on an Evans Head Facebook page in response.
“Tell them (the council) what Sunnyboy means to you as a local or how we may be positively impacting Evans as a community,” Ella said.
“How outdoor seating allows people to gather with friends, babies, pets and colleagues and support a new business in a small town.
“Sunnyboy is in a residential zone, so we were told by council that an application to use the footpath would be rejected if we submitted one as we are a neighbourhood shop, not a cafe.”
Ella said they put out temporary and removable furniture which they took in and out daily, thinking that was acceptable.
“We’ve been directed to cease that immediately,” she said.
Council general manager Vaughan Macdonald said the premises was small and not equipped to support it being a food premise and only “neighbourhood shops” were allowed in that zoning area.
“Their plan was to provide takeaway coffee along with other pre-packaged products and there is a consent condition for their premise that specifically excludes kerbside dining,” Mr Macdonald.
“They applied for a kerbside dining approval in May and it was rejected on the basis that a neighbourhood shop cannot be a dine-in or takeaway restaurant and have outside dining activities and that it would breach their consent conditions.”
Previously, before the cafe, the premises was a tattoo shop.
Because Sunnyboy is located in a residential zone, the rules are different to a cafe in a business zone.
“Zoning changes take considerable time and consultation with the community and that same property includes residential accommodation, so the zoning is appropriate,” Mr Macdonald said.
“If the business is successful and they want it to grow they may need to consider a more suitable premise in a business district.”
Ella and Bella name their corner shop after a retro ice block
and then