Restaurant and council part ways over lease
Popular restaurant Albert and Smith, part of the West Gippsland Arts Centre complex, will close on August 27 following a breakdown of negotiations over the lease.
The restaurant, operated by David and Sam O’Neill, has been open since they formed a lease with Baw Baw Shire in September 2019.
Mr O’Neill said after mediation with the shire it was mutually agreed for “us to part ways.”
He said he could not comment further because he had signed a non disclosure agreement.
Mr O’Neil announced the upcoming closure on social media on Friday and within a few hours the post had amassed more than 300 comments.
Baw Baw Shire chief executive Mark Dupe said that after discussions about the future direction between council and Albert and Smith it became clear “that our respective visions for the future differed.”
“It was subsequently decided by mutual agreement that Albert and Smith and WGAC would part ways.”
“Council wishes to acknowledge and thank David and Sam O’Neill and their team for the fine contribution that Albert and Smith Restaurant has made to the arts centre.
“On behalf of council, we wish them well in their future endeavours,” he said.
Mr O’Neil said he had enjoyed the journey and the amazing Warragul customers.
“Since the announcement the phone has not stopped ringing. We have always been at capacity every time we opened.”
The business employs 22 people, six in their first jobs and others who had been in hospitality for many years and all local people.
Mr O’Neill said every week the business bought more than $10,000 in stock from local businesses including Press Cellars and Chefields as well as local fruit and vegetable businesses.
He said the weekly wage bill was $10,000. It was not David and Sam’s first restaurant business, they opened In2Food about 12 years ago, and also operated the Longwarry Pub, Stage Door and the Sunnyside Eatery.
When asked what his plans for the future were he said: “I did not expect this outcome so at this stage I am unsure.”
Replying to questions about the future of a restaurant at the centre, Mr Dupe said the West Gippsland Arts Centre was the community’s major public space.
“We want to make sure we are catering for everyone, whether they are just after a cup of tea or coffee or something more substantial - all continuing to support local suppliers and local employment opportunities.
“In terms of the immediate short term, we will be putting a transitional service in place to cater for patrons visiting the venue until our more permanent new offering comes online later in the year. Since fully reopening to the public post-pandemic, we have seen fantastic audience numbers coming through the doors for a huge variety of performances.
“One thing we’ve been made increasingly aware of is that the arts centre’s ever-growing audiences have varying food and beverage preferences and expectations. The audience for a matinee by the Wiggles, for example, is quite different to the audience that may attend a touring Bell Shakespeare production, which in turn may be quite different to the audience attending the Warragul North Primary School senior performance, or those attending a Pink Floyd tribute show.
“We are excited about the new direction and how it will align with the arts centre’s vision of a space that is inclusive and accessible to all.” he said.
A long standing member of a Warragul wine tasting group which met at Albert and Smith, Brian Hopkins of Warragul, said the closure was a ‘blow” to the group as well as the community.
He said group members were disturbed and sorry about the closure.
“David and Sam O’Neill and staff have provided a great culinary venue for the shire. It’s almost unbelievable that it will close next month,” he said.
“Why does such a popular place suddenly have to close,” he asked.
He said the restaurant had serviced local shire residents, along with visitors from other parts of Gippsland and Melbourne.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how the shire utilises the vacant space. It appeared to be a millstone and costly shire development until Albert and Smith came along and presumably paid a “good rent’ for the space,” he said.