Winchelsea shire hall negotiations restart

November 12, 2020 BY James Taylor

The former Winchelsea shire hall could open as soon as November 23, assuming the tenant takes up the lease and the opening is allowed under Victoria’s coronavirus restrictions.

THE Surf Coast Shire council remains hopeful its plan for the former Winchelsea Shire Hall will come to fruition, with the offer to its preferred tenant still “on the table”.

The hall has been leased for many years by private business operators, who have made it available for community use.

It became vacant in April 2019 after the previous tenant decided not to renew their lease after a dispute with the council over adjustments to the rent.

After convening a working group to discuss the hall’s future, the council called for expressions of interest from potential lessees, and endorsed their choice behind closed doors at a special council meeting on April 28 this year.

Although the endorsement was declared confidential because it involved contractual matters, the council confirmed this week that their preferred lessee was the Bellbrae Farm Trust.

Plans to open the hall hit a snag in August, when the council announced the lessee had “decided not to proceed”.

“Due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of the current economic situation, it seems that the proposed business isn’t possible at this point in time,” the council’s general manager of culture and community Chris Pike said at the time.

In response to questions from this newspaper about the hall, Mr Pike said this week that the hall remained closed consistent with the directions of the Chief Health Officer.

“The Victorian Government’s Roadmap suggests the hall may be able to reopen for community use on or around November 23 this year.

“Negotiations with the preferred lessee were paused earlier this year due to the uncertainties caused by the pandemic. Discussions have now resumed and Council’s offer of a commercial lease remains on the table.

“On 28 April 2020 Council endorsed David Veal, trading as the Bellbrae Farm Trust, as the preferred lessee, and this resolution remains current.

“In the meantime Council welcomes inquiries about short term bookings of the facility subject to Victorian Government restrictions.”