NEWS
New Farm Park restaurateur Glen Boyle is fighting hard against a City Council decision to evict him – and he has an unusual ally in his battle.
Since Mr Boyle’s award-winning Summerhouse kiosk (pictured) was burnt to the ground 11 years ago Mr Boyle has been serving drinks and snacks to patrons of New Farm Park from a demountable kiosk while awaiting approval from Brisbane City Council to rebuild the Summerhouse.
Then several weeks ago, he was given an eviction order by BCC and told to vacate his business by the end of April.
It’s a decision that local councillor David Hinchliffe wants council to reconsider. Cr Hinchliffe said that while he and Mr Boyle had differed in the past over the scope of any redeveloped centre, he believed council should now allow Mr Boyle to rebuild the kiosk in its former guise.
“I think he is being dudded over this issue,” Cr Hinchliffe said.
Mr Boyle who has been busy in recent weeks gaining signatures to a petition backing his cause said: “I have been trying to meet with Campbell Newman since November last year when the mayor publicly announced he was willing to meet with me to discuss a way forward for the Summerhouse.
“Since then I have had no meeting and am now being evicted.” Mr Boyle said the eviction, while heartbreaking, would not deter him from his goal of resurrecting the kiosk which had previously resided in New Farm Park since 1914.
“While my young family and I are gutted by Brisbane City Council’s decision we are determined to stay positive and try and change the mayor’s mind,” Mr Boyle said. “We have been through fire, flooding, 11 years of stonewalling and now an eviction, but we won’t give up because we have that Queensland fighting spirit” he said. “The kiosk was a wonderful feature for New Farm Park and Brisbane until the fire and it really is worth all the effort to bring it back.”
“To show the Mayor what the Summerhouse kiosk means to Brisbane, I am calling on as many residents as possible to turn up to New Farm Park from 1pm on Sunday week, 10 April for a Family Day of Action and support. “For the kids there will be free face painting and balloons given away and there will be a free barbecue for everyone who is wearing some sort of yellow, which we are asking people to wear to show their support.
“We will also be asking people to sign a petition now or on the day to show their support. If you can’t make it along on the day, you can still sign an ‘e-petition’ at www.oursumerhouse.com.au or drop into the kiosk at New Farm Park;
“The Summerhouse was an institution in Brisbane for 86 years because of its charm and I believe the people of Brisbane would welcome it back with open arms.”
Mr Boyle said he would rebuild a replica of the old kiosk at no cost to the ratepayer if BCC agreed.
“After all the recent disasters I believe this would be a positive move by council to restore life to the inner city,” Mr Boyle said.
