Making noise about Bomboras’ bar

OBJECTORS to the return of the Bomboras’ pop up bar in Torquay have spoken up, with almost all citing noise as the major factor in their submissions.

Bomboras argues it has followed the rules as they were given, and is willing to work with the council and objectors to find a “happy medium”.

The shire is considering a fresh planning permit for the bar at 48 The Esplanade that was trialled between October 31, 2016 and April 16 this year, and held a hearing of submissions meeting at the council chambers on Tuesday.

The bar is on land managed by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC).

The new permit will increase the maximum number of patrons from 96 to 150, and also extend its operating times to 10 hours a day, seven days a week (except for in autumn and winter), 12 months of the year.

During the exhibition period, the shire received 16 submissions. Of these, 14 opposed the permit, but one of the supporting submissions was a petition with about 1,300 signatures.

Nine of the 12 speakers at the hearing of submissions meeting spoke against the permit, with noise a highly common factor in their remarks.

Mark Teasdale said music had the largest impact, followed by traffic, and resulted in 14 noise complaints from nearby residents.

“Personally, I don’t believe music is essential to operate a bar.”

Bomboras’ Tom McGrath said the bar had “tried to do all it can” about the noise, including employing an acoustic engineer to produce a report.

“We have been operating within the law that we were told to operate within last year, and we’re happy to do it again this year.

“We’re willing to reasonably negotiate on any part of the bar, but it needs to be a two-way street.”

He said the pop-up bar’s customers would be unhappy if there was no music at all.

“We’re criticised at the moment for not having enough music.”

Some objectors said Bomboras was monopolising public land. Tom Harding said Fishermans Beach was a community space, and by setting up a bar, people were “being denied access to what should be one of the best facilities you’ve got to offer the public”.

In response, Mr McGrath said it was an underused public space.

“In all honesty, it was a white elephant. It was verging on being an embarrassment for GORCC; the whole building.”