Nit Picking Councils !

 Of all the businesses put under pressure by COVID-19 restrictions it was cafes and coffee shops that struggled most to survive.  The workers in city offices and the crowds of shoppers simply disappeared and with them went the reason for staying open.

Brave souls opened a new cafe in Haberfield last October, right at the peak of this retailing downturn and their location happened to be in a heritage building. Attracting customers in the harsh conditions prevailing called for ingenuity and one of the things they did was make their business conspicuous.

They chose a bright yellow paint job  for the front window and entry door and contrasted that with a subtle grey for the surrounding areas.  It was chosen to make their little business stand out in Haberfield's struggling business district.

To their dismay, Haberfield council has ordered this signage to be removed.  It seems that a local ordinance gives council the final say over what colours may be used, and putting up any sort of sign requires the expense of gaining a formal " Development Application ".

The rigours of getting a DA through council is notorious for delay, cost and the nit picking by officials who simply enjoy the power that enlivens their otherwise dull lives.  Getting a DA to final approval can encompass a time frame of months and cost hundreds of dollars.

Fortunately, the citizens of Haberfield are clearly on the side of the cafe owners.  This colour aesthetic has the approval of the customers it has attracted and a petition has gained seven hundred signatures and is growing daily.

Many prospective business owners seem unaware that even the most basic signage needs council approval and most of what we view as we pass through the city is probably technically illegal because it has never been submitted or approved by the local council.

In this instance in Haberfield, the council justifies its removal order on the basis that it received a complaint from a resident who objected to the colour used.  It will be interesting to await the outcome of the action taken by the cafe owners who have submitted a DA seeking approval of those same colours.

The council is seeking to deflect criticism by  labelling the matter as a " storm in a tea cup " but along with the rest of the world, Australia is undergoing an economic disruption that is costing its government billions to remedy.  It is vitally important that business owners keep their nerve and remain open as the recovery ripens, and councils demanding to impose unnecessary costs by ordering repaint jobs is not helpful.

It would also be interesting to know who complained ?   Perhaps a competitor who is also doing it tough in a pandemic  !