The old Kiosk restaurant at Shelly Beach has been fully renovated and will be opening in May.

How does a new restaurant make friends with its neighbours? It invites 50 of them over for a free lunch. 

The Boathouse, which is set to open its doors at Shelly Beach next month, has delighted locals by including them in a "soft opening" event. 

Restaurant co-owner Andrew Goldsmith says the lunch  will give new staff a chance to work with "real" customers, as well as  giving locals a preview of Manly's newest eatery. 

"The nature of the cafe business is that locals are crucial, " Goldsmith said at the Fairy Bower Precinct meeting earlier this month.

"What's important to locals - like breakfast - is important to us."

The Boathouse team won the lease for the Shelly Beach site, formerly occupied by Le Kiosk, early last year. 

Goldsmith said they loved the feel of being "at the end of the line". 
"It's such a fantastic location, we really want to do it justice," he said.

The Boathouse mix of good food in a relaxed space, with lush plants and beach house-style furniture, has made the restaurant a big hit in both its Palm Beach and Balmoral incarnations.

Ours will have all that, plus a shady landscaped garden and maybe even a waterfall.

The Boatshed will be open from 6am seven days a week, with dinner every night except Sunday. There's room for 80 people downstairs, with an upstairs event space for 70-80. The front facade of the heritage-listed cottage has been retained but most of the rest is new. The restaurant is licensed until 12pm, but upstairs events will finish at 11pm to decrease disturbance for neighbours. 

Update ... 24/10/12
Have just heard that The Commissioner who heard the matter today regarding the Manly Wharf development has terminated the conference and directed the appeal to a full hearing in the Land & Environment Court.  the hearing is expected to be listed in December.

It's one of Manly's most iconic and environmentally sensitive sites, but despite rejection by Manly's Independent Assessment Panel (MIAP) plans by TMG Developments to add another storey with four restaurants, 1,000 patrons and more shops to Manly Wharf, will be heard at an appeal hearing tomorrow (Wednesday 24/10/12) at the wharf at 9.30am. Locals & Council will strongly oppose the appeal.  You can get a full background on this story by clicking on "Manly Wharf" under our blog categories.

__Manly's Independent Assessment Panel (MIAP) has rejected the plans by TMG Developments to add a further four restaurants, and shops, to Manly Wharf.

Local residents have fought long and hard against the proposal which would have seen a further 1,000 people using facilities on the site.

The $6.97 million plan, which was recommend by Council staff, was seeking a $5.379 million "community contribution" from Council and the development was not required to provide any additional parking.  Fortunately MIAP had the sense to reject the proposal.  Will TMG take it to the Land & Environment Court next?

SEE THE BOTTOM ON THIS BLOG  FOR A COPY OF THE DECISION FROM MIAP


UPDATE:  25/1/12
  TMG Developments have changed the roof design of their proposal to add another floor to a section of Manly Wharf - from a saw-toothed effect to a flat roof.

Although the design of a building is always important, it's not the issue here.  What locals are really concerned about is another 1,000 people at four additional restaurants in what is already a very confined space.  (The Police have already expressed concerns on how they would manage it)

This proposal would also add more noise,  possible anti-social behaviour and more litter to an environmentally sensitive area.

UPDATE:  5/1/12
MIAP decision delayed until February 2012.
The Manly Independent Assessment Panel (MIAP) delayed its decision regarding the DA proposal for Manly Wharf until February following the receipt of  late information which needed to be reviewed.

UPDATE:  14/11/2011
Minister Waives Master Plan requirement

Richard Hewitt from Fairlight precinct reports that the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Brad Hazzard, has waived the requirement for a master plan for development at Manly Wharf Hotel and Restaurant, at East Esplanade on the basis "the proposed development will affect only a small proportion of the site".

As Richard points out – the DA proposal adds a whole extra storey to one third of the site; adds 1,100 more patrons on the wharf until 1am in an area the Police Commander can't police, and is adjacent to a major little penguin nesting site. 

This DA is likely to go to MIAP in December.

Do you think the Minister should have waived the master plan requirement?  What do you think of the proposal to add a further four restaurants to the wharf area?

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Have you seen the new proposal for Manly Wharf? 
It includes an extra level on the eastern side to accommodate a further four restaurants.  The current restaurants and hotel are fantastic and are all well run - do we honestly need another four  with 1,000 plus patrons on this already confined site?

What do you think?
(If you have concerns a local protest rally is planned for Sunday 7 August @ 2pm at the Wharf. Organiser: Angelika Treichler 9976-2176 or 0431 890 678 )   See Events section for photos from the Rally

The Council has just installed much needed rubbish bins in East Esplanade Reserve - but who decided that a set should be placed right in front of the view of the harbour of one of our most popular restaurants?

This is such poor planning.  Locals are also concerned that there is still no receptacle for cigarette butts (except the ground!).  This was a Council decision because the reserve is a "non-smoking zone" ... but nobody knows that!

What do you think? 

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