It’s bad timing that Maitland City Council is acting on complaints about popular East Maitland coffee outlet The Bearded Cactus less than a month after it used the business to launch its annual coffee and chocolate festival, Aroma.
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The Bearded Cactus has built a strong following since it opened in the front yard of Peter and Leah Hodges’ New England Highway home in February.
A planning policy loophole meant the mobile food and beverage cafe could operate, as long as it didn’t significantly impact the surrounding environment.
Testament to The Bearded Cactus’s success was council’s decision to use the business to launch the publicity campaign for the Aroma Festival last month.
But little more than a week after the successful event, councillors will debate a staff report that could mean the end for The Bearded Cactus in its current form.
The report came after public complaints about issues including noise, impact on neighbours and traffic concerns in recent months.
While it might not lead to the business’s closure, it will likely mean changes.
The tight timeframe in the cafe’s swing from council pin-up to target is difficult to digest.
If Aroma organisers knew that there was an official report being written based on complaints against the business that could lead to its closure, the decision to use the popularity of The Bearded Cactus to boost a council-run event was unfair – especially given that Mr and Mrs Hodges had no idea what was about to hit them.
And if festival organisers did not know about the report, then there has obviously been a communication breakdown at council.
Either way, this scenario is a bad look for Maitland City Council and could have been easily avoided.
