Jurien pavilion final piece to foreshore development

Jurien Bay’s Foreshore Pavilion development is back on track after the Dandaragan Shire Council agreed to lease the site to a local hospitality group that plans to run a 280-seat restaurant by the ocean.

Lobster Hut Hospitality Group were awarded the tender for five years at last week’s ordinary council meeting, with councillors voting 8-1 in favour of the proposal.

Managing director Peter House, who previously owned Jurien hospitality business House Blend Cafe, said the foreshore restaurant would be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week

“We will have live entertainment over the weekends,” he said.

“People sitting around listening to music and having a drink.”

Mr House was hoping to open the new business ahead of this summer, but the Foreshore Pavilion project faced a major delay after the local builder, who was originally awarded the contract, asked to renegotiate terms.

Building company Coast Edge Pty wanted an extra $296,360 to complete the project, but that did not fly with the council who instead chose to find a new builder.

A new contract was eventually awarded to Yanchep-based builders Hickey Construction in November, with works now expected to start in January.

Dandaragan Shire president Leslee Holmes said she was pleased construction was finally getting under way.

She said the 280-seat restaurant would be “incredibly important” for tourism.

“We are just so busy now,” she said.

“The pressure it has put on these eating places has just been incredible.

“Every week the town is full. Cervantes is the same. We are desperate to get a new caravan park.”

Ms Holmes said the Foreshore Pavilion would complement the new youth precinct and skate park.

“It will mean you can go down to the foreshore and have a meal or a coffee and actually be on the beach,” she said.

“One of the biggest issues in the whole of WA is you can’t get on the beach to eat and drink. It’s a problem. We aren’t giving people what they want.”

Ms Holmes said the project was expected to be finished by the middle of next year.