Hospitality boosted with more outdoor dining on the way

In a boost to Ballarat’s bustling hospitality scene, outdoor decking and landscaping will be installed on the 400 block of Sturt Street in the coming months, ready for spring 2022.  

Following a trial of temporary outdoor dining spaces in this area in 2020 and 2021, the dining precinct in front of L’Espresso, Higher Society and Europa will be transformed into a vibrant outdoor space for community and visitors alike.  

Thanks to funding from the Victorian Government’s COVID Safe Outdoor Activation Fund 2021, the outdoor activation project aims to attract more people to the area by creating an energetic and inviting precinct.  

The City of Ballarat delivered outdoor dining cubes in December 2020 and early 2021 as part of the previous grant allocation from the Victorian Government, to support outdoor dining. The City of Ballarat saw this as an opportunity to test a new outdoor dining concept and consulted with diners, the community, and businesses to consider a more permanent option.  

Seventy-one per cent of respondents to the City of Ballarat rated as either happy or very happy with the outdoor dining space.  

The respondents also told the City of Ballarat that they like to dine outside in the warmer months. 

The section of Sturt Street is popular with outside hospitality, and the construction of the outdoor dining areas will alleviate pedestrian congestion, moving diners to more dedicated space, thus allowing improved pedestrian flow.  

The City of Ballarat recognises the convenience and value parking spaces are to businesses and has designed the extension of the outdoor space to sustain as many car parks as possible. Only two car parking spaces from the 400 block will be impacted by the extension, however the survey data stated that diners would be willing to walk five minutes from their parked car for a vibrant destination. 

The dining spaces will be a decked area, with breakfast bar style benches around the edges and will also include garden beds, small trees, bluestone kerbs and safety bollards.  

Construction is scheduled to commence in the coming weeks and be completed in time for spring and summer dining.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Daniel Moloney said the new outdoor spaces will be fantastic for those who like to watch the world go by over their coffee.  

“The new dining spaces will improve the aesthetic for diners and create additional space to fill up the venues,” he said.  

“It is a fantastic way to get people out to enjoy the atmosphere and support our local businesses.”  

Member for Wendouree, Julianna Addison said she was pleased that there is continued support for local businesses facing the ongoing challenges of COVID.  

“Ballarat’s thriving café culture is important to both locals and visitors to our city, and this initiative will support local cafes in the iconic 400 block of Sturt St by providing additional seating spaces for customers,” she said.