Bar plan riles parents
A NEW bar hoping to revitalise a decaying Nightcliff shopping strip is under threat, with a local school community objecting to the proposal.
Nightcliff Primary School council chairman Simon Niblock said the committee had a number of concerns over Dom’s Bar and Lounge, which plans to open in Aralia Arcade.
“We have lodged a submission with the DCA about the planning, we’re yet to lodge a submission with the liquor licensing commission but we will,” he said.
“People weren’t opposed to a hotel as such. However the proximity to the school raises some concerns for many parents and school staff and we’re concerned about the size of it.”
However Mr Niblock said there was no reason why such a venue couldn’t become a success at the shopping precinct.
“People have been saying it possibly wouldn’t be bad on the same block, just where it is … it’s almost right on the school crossing so you’re liter- ally on the main entrance to the school and the entrance to the preschool and childcare,” he said.
“If it was the other side, on the Aralia St side, we’d be less concerned but I guess that’s a bit hypothetical.”
The school council chairman agreed the shopping strip would be well serviced by activation.
“A lot of parents would like to see some activation in there. some parents said they’re happy with a bar done well there but the big issue is we haven’t got a lot of information,” Mr Niblock said.
“People are saying restaurants, cafes, lamenting the fact that Asian Gateway closed down, it would be great to have some nice coffee shops which are the kind of things that bring people together and bring people in to those shops.
“It’d be great if those issues can be addressed and something does work for the business owner.”
Mr Niblock is also an elected member on Darwin council, occasionally serving as a fill in on the Development Consent Authority but said he wouldn’t be assessing the case when it came through to council.
“Once it does come to the DCA I’ll be declaring a conflict of interest because I’ll be sitting on the other side,” he said..
Dominic Wundke said he was inspired to take a “leap of faith” and open his own venue on Aralia St after noticing the empty shops — hoping to give people something other than the typical Mitchell St experience.