No interest in nightclub

By Paul Pickering
KNOX City Council has emphatically refused an application to establish a two-storey nightclub in Boronia’s Dorset Square.
The unanimous ruling was made at last Tuesday night’s council meeting at which several councillors expressed concerns that the proposed venue would lower the tone of the re-vamped shopping precinct and surrounding residential area.
The property at 93 and 2/91A Boronia Road is fast becoming a bugbear for the council after an application to establish a strip club on the premises sparked a community uproar last year.
The proposed venue, named in plans as The Bank Tavern in reference to the site’s previous tenant the Commonwealth Bank, was to be open seven nights a week with a capacity of 700 people.
The application sought a licence to serve alcohol throughout proposed opening hours of 10am-5am Thursday-Sunday and 10am-3am Sunday-Wednesday.
Council planner Katharine Walker’s report on the application recommended that it be approved but that was rejected by councillors last week.
While only three objections were received in response to advertising of the application, Chandler Ward councillor Monique Davey said she had been approached by local residents who were apprehensive about the proposal.
In addition to concerns about excessive noise and a reduction in perceived safety for local residents, Cr Davey questioned the social responsibility of the applicant’s decision not to provide meals on site.
“We don’t want a venue attracting people to drink from 10am to 3am the following morning,” Cr Davey said.
“We’re talking about a venue where the main aim is to feed (young people) alcohol then sweep them out the door at 3am.”
Collier Ward councillor Joe Cossari, who himself owns a licensed venue in Melbourne’s CBD, agreed that the long operating hours were inappropriate for the area.
“Where there’s alcohol there’s trouble,” Cr Cossari said, adding that he also had reservations about the capacity of the venue.
Ultimately, Cr Davey’s motion to refuse the application had no opposition from her fellow councillors.
The applicant could not be contacted last week, therefore it is uncertain whether the council’s decision will be appealed at the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal.