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Lords Place cafes and restaurants to get a year of free access to dining pods
March 8, 2023
By David Fitzsimons
Cafes and restaurants caught up in CBD car park cuts have been offered free use of outdoor dining decks to try to boost business.
Orange City Council has approved a 12-month fee-free use of dining decks on Lords Place.
Businesses will be able to place their seats and tables on the outdoor booths to encourage people to drink and dine.
A report to this week’s council meeting said there would be a one-year trial.
Work is still ongoing in the street for a major upgrade that included 23 car park spaces being removed.
“Businesses who activate these dining decks will enter into an agreement with council and will be responsible for the cleaning of the dining decks, their furniture and public liability. A business can only activate and have exclusive use of one dining deck in the shared space,” the staff report said.
It said staff had spoken to business owners in the area, who said they were they were interested in the plan.
Councillor Frances Kinghorne said she supported the fee-free trial.
“It may provide some benefit to those businesses who have been struggling with the parking changes,” she said.
Councillor David Mallard also backed the plan.
“It’s great that we’ve got businesses interested in being part of the trial and we’re going ahead and giving them the opportunity,” he said.
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