![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/09\/DSC_0018-300x200.jpg\")
\u201cBusiness is going well, under the constraints, and repeat business has been amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think suburban cafes are want people want now-a-days because it\u2019s a natural thing to be able to walk to the corner and sit down, have a coffee and a chat.\u201d<\/p>\n
With free parking readily available and less restrictions placed on outdoor dining for residentially placed venues, there\u2019s a clear appeal for business owners to open up shop in the suburbs.<\/p>\n
As a Ballarat North local himself, Mr Flockhart said he\u2019s been taking note of the gradual growth of the hospitality scene in the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really interesting to watch this development happen, the change in the last 10 years is amazing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI live just down the road and I knew Bodega and the pie bakery next door were both doing quite well and there\u2019s new places popping up along Lydiard Street all the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough, but it\u2019s not just here, there\u2019ll be new places opening in Newington and Lake Gardens as a way of bringing the lifestyle of Melbourne to the regions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Flockhard said, not only does he appreciate the great community spirit in the area but also the support he receives from other coffee shops and eateries close by.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m positive about this place and I\u2019m sure the others are positive about theirs as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all support each other and it\u2019s easy to do so because we all do slightly different things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Mr Flockhart\u2019s experience has been overwhelmingly positive, he is not alone in feeling this way about Ballarat North\u2019s community and business potential.<\/p>\n
Margie Quinlan, owner of popular coffee spot Bodega, said when they first opened there wasn\u2019t as many eateries as there is now so the community were really positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took a while for that trade to build but everyone was really excited to have something in the area and the community just loved it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a caf\u00e9 is set up in a suburb, the community see that caf\u00e9 as theirs or as their local, whereas in town, even if you have a favourite it\u2019s not the same.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be able to walk from your house and have a chat with our baristas who would know majority of our customer\u2019s coffee orders before they walk in the door.\u201d<\/p>\n As spaces ideal for congregation, caf\u00e9s and restaurants specifically those in residential areas can assist building up nearby communities and at a time like now, they\u2019re proving more necessary than ever.<\/p>\n Ms Quinlan said she\u2019s noticed a shift in the community to push for new hospitality businesses and move towards a more cosmopolitan scene similar to the suburbs of Melbourne.<\/p>\n \u201cBallarat North is changing, the community feel and the customers we see come in here are changing to almost take on a bit of a Melbourne vibe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe area is really progressing and since we opened our doors, we\u2019ve seen a lot of people from Melbourne move here which comes back to the affordable housing point.<\/p>\n \u201cThis development will continue as growth areas keep changing because that\u2019s the way Ballarat\u2019s going.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DENSE residential areas like Ballarat North are adding to their appeal and fostering an influx of prosperous caf\u00e9 and dining businesses. With a variety of coffee shops and eateries stretching from The Local to The Gatehouse in the cemetery, the north of Ballarat has experienced a range of new hospitality businesses springing up over the […]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/09\/DSC_0004-300x200.jpg\")