Michael Hester from Friends on the Hill is asking Yarra Ranges Council not to contradict its own law and allow traders to move their furniture back against the wall.
By Emma Sun
A MONBULK Main Street trader is accusing Yarra Ranges Council of contradicting its own streets and roadside policy.
Michael Hester, who runs busy café Friends on the Hill, was told by the council to move his tables and chairs about a metre away from their original position against the building wall to the middle of the footpath to provide a path for pedestrians.
But he said the council is breaching its own rule by placing benches and bins against the adjacent wall leading to the rear car park.
“It’s the same building line but there seems to be one law for them and another for traders,” Mr Hester said.
“Why is the shire being so demanding of businesses in the area when they’re breaching their own law?”
He said since moving his furniture to the middle of the footpath, he received complaints from both customers and pedestrians about how inconvenient it was for them.
“It’s like an obstacle course – there are ladies on scooters, people with push frames and women with prams,” he said.
“It’s an inconvenience for pedestrians because they have to dodge furniture and it’s an inconvenience for customers, especially those with dogs because their leads are a real hazard.”
Mavis Lees, who has frequented Friends on the Hill for longer than Mr Hester has run it, said the law had made it tremendously difficult for her and her two dogs.
“I’m not happy – my dogs usually sit comfortably against the wall and now they’re a hazard because they could knock someone or trip them over,” she said.
“It was much easier when they were back against the wall because I was out of the way and I felt sheltered, but now I feel exposed.
“The council needs to move them back so people can sit outside and have a peaceful cup of coffee and read the paper.”
Mr Hester appealed for the council to allow him to put his tables and chairs back against the wall, which would be a great benefit for everyone.
“I know they want to make the path to be more accessible for people, particularly those with a disability but it is a greater hazard to have the furniture near the middle,” he said.
“The ideal result would be for the shire to back off and let owners do business the way they’ve always done it. “Their very own structures form a template for what should be done – they’re against the wall and that’s sensible so let that flow onto the rest of the street.”
Yarra Ranges Council did not respond by time of publication.
