{"id":5257,"date":"2020-02-26T04:29:31","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T04:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=5257"},"modified":"2020-02-26T04:29:31","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T04:29:31","slug":"city-provides-plan-for-reopening-of-lexies-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2020\/02\/26\/city-provides-plan-for-reopening-of-lexies-cafe\/","title":{"rendered":"City provides plan for reopening of Lexie\u2019s caf\u00e9"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nThe City of Newcastle and Lexie\u2019s Cafe are working on a plan to reopen the much-loved Stockton cafe.\u202f The process to reopen the caf\u00e9 will first require securing insurance for the building\u00a0leased to Lexie\u2019s Cafe.\u202f Prior to this necessary step, Lexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 has committed to the development of a Management Plan.
\nThe City of Newcastle\u00a0and Lexie\u2019s have also discussed establishing a temporary caf\u00e9 in Stockton, beside the Stockton Ferry Terminal, while the necessary work is done to get Lexie\u2019s reopened at\u00a0its\u00a0traditional Mitchell Street home.
\nThe Lexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 building was closed following the results of an independent risk assessment, which determined it was at imminent risk of a one-in-two-year storm event.
\nFollowing the recent Natural Disaster weather event, a Coastal Risk Assessment Review determined that only a bare 70 cubic metres of sand was left as a buffer in front of the building leased to the caf\u00e9.
\nLexie\u2019s Cafe, which was already operating on a month-to-month lease, was indefinitely closed a week ago after a review found that, based on the current erosion scarp location, the building was now within the zone of wave impact, and therefore at risk, in a one-in-two year storm event.
\nLord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said a meeting today between the\u00a0leasee\u00a0and City of Newcastle was positive with both parties agreeing to work together on a solution for re-opening Lexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9.
\n\u201cWhile we would have loved for the Lexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 to continue trading at Stockton Beach as it has for many years, once City of Newcastle officers were presented with the Coastal Risk Assessment Review, the responsible action was to act immediately,\u201d Cr Nelmes said.
\n\u201cCity of Newcastle is exploring all available options to secure insurance for the building.\u202f While that process is underway, I\u2019ve asked for the construction of a temporary caf\u00e9 to the east of the Stockton Ferry Terminal, away from the erosion threat, as an interim measure.
\n\u201cThere are many hoops we need to get through, but we have made it clear to Lexie\u2019s management that we want to work together towards a solution for Lexie\u2019s that will protect local jobs and safeguard the local economy.
\n\u201cWe know that Lexie\u2019s attracts many visitors and tourists to Stockton, just as the nearby Stockton Holiday Park does.\u201d
\nLexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 owner Nick Sovechles said today\u2019s meeting had been a positive step forward in re-establishing the\u00a0much-loved\u00a0caf\u00e9.
\n\u201cWhile reopening Lexie\u2019s remains our preferred option, we understand that the issue of securing insurance for the building must first be resolved. In the meantime, we will work with City of Newcastle on options including a temporary caf\u00e9 beside the Stockton Ferry Wharf,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cWhat is clear is that the Stockton community cannot take many more financial hits. It needs commercial ventures that attract people to Stockton, and a caf\u00e9 near the very popular Children\u2019s Active Play Hub is one way of doing that.
\n\u201cWhat is equally clear is that we need the State Government to support City of Newcastle in its development of a Coastal Management Program so that come 30 June, our community has a long-term solution to the erosion of Stockton Beach.\u201d
\nBackground:<\/b>
\nAn independent engineering report stated that the building is at significant risk from a one-in-two-year storm event. To give some context, a typical risk assessment is based on a one-in-100-year storm event.
\nThe City of Newcastle is unable to secure insurance on the Mitchell Street building, which leaves both the City and ratepayers liable should the building fail without warning.
\nThe City has agreed to commence a nation-wide search for an insurer willing to provide coverage for the building.
\nThis combined, with a Management Plan supported by Lexie\u2019s management, would likely allow the caf\u00e9 to reopen in its existing location while a permanent solution to the coastal erosion is determined and delivered.
\nIn the meantime, City of Newcastle will construct a temporary caf\u00e9 to the east of the Stockton Ferry Terminal. The location is ideal given more than 50,000 passengers a month use the ferry.
\nThousands more people use the sporting facilities at Griffith Park each Saturday morning including the Stockton Parkrun. The incredibly popular Stockton Active Play Hub also attracts a ready-made market of caf\u00e9 users seven days a week. The location of the nearby carpark and toilets will also help the commercial success of the cafe.
\nTypically, City of Newcastle would conduct an expression of interest for the operation of the caf\u00e9.
\nHowever,\u00a0in light of\u00a0the unfortunate decision to close Lexie\u2019s, the City will waive this requirement.
\nIf City of Newcastle\u00a0is able to\u00a0re-open Lexie\u2019s in its existing location, the caf\u00e9 at the Ferry Terminal will be re-evaluated as part of a review of the Park Plan of Management.\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The City of Newcastle and Lexie\u2019s Cafe are working on a plan to reopen the much-loved Stockton cafe.\u202f The process to reopen the caf\u00e9 will first require securing insurance for the building\u00a0leased to Lexie\u2019s Cafe.\u202f Prior to this necessary step, Lexie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 has committed to the development of a Management Plan. The City of Newcastle\u00a0and … Continue reading “City provides plan for reopening of Lexie\u2019s caf\u00e9”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newcastle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5257\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}