Cronulla will have a new cafe on the beach when Bianchini’s Espresso opens in Elouera surf club at 7am on Friday.
Elouera Surf Life Saving Club wanted the cafe to open in time for warm weather – and the timing couldn’t be better, with the temperatures forecast to climb to up to 36 degrees over the weekend.
The northern side of the surf club was extended to accommodate the cafe, with storage beneath.
Sutherland Shire mayor Carmelo Pesce won the tender to operate the cafe following a public tender process.
The final choice was between bids by Cr Pesce and Ray Nelson and his family, who operate Zimzala cafe-restaurant on Cronulla beach.
Mr Nelson withdrew at the eleventh hour because he wanted to seek changes to the approved development application, which the club was reluctant to accept because it would have delayed the project.
Cr Pesce said at the time he had no conflict of interest.
He said the DA for the new cafe was approved by council planning officers under delegated authority before tenders were called.
Before submitting his tender, he had checked the situation with the council’s general manager Scott Phillips and was told, as long as it was a public tender, there was no problem.