‘Bad business, not light rail’

Hospitality boss shuns harbingers of doom to launch Nobbys eatery

A Gold Coast hospitality boss opening a new venue in one of the city’s busiest night precincts says businesses need to stop blaming light rail for failing ventures.

Small bar king Scott Imlach - owner of Bine Bar and Dining, Tank Bar and Dining, Hideaway, Night Jar and more - is opening a new Japanese restaurant called Okawari House.

Much-loved Nook hole-inthe-wall takeaway coffee joint owner Marcus Wilkins and his partner Olivia will also open The Holliday Coffee, off the side of Okawari House.

The new venue will be in Nobby Beach dining precinct, where I Like Ramen vacated recently, fearing Light Rail stage three works to Burleigh Heads by 2025 would kill trade.

Mr Imlach said he was prepared for the light rail and it was a great opportunity.

“The spaces are coming available and landlords are becoming generous. People blame the tram but I don’t think the tram is the problem, I think people are doing bad business.

“People aren’t going to stop eating for 10 years.”

Mr Imlach said a selling point of his new venue was the relationship with the landlord.

“The landlord has been very fair and said ‘if light rail affects you, we will just adjust the rent’,” he said. “I dealt with this landlord over Covid and he gave me rent free over nearly the whole of Covid.”

Mr Imlach said parking would be difficult when light rail came through.

“It just means locals have to walk and I think they will.”

Mr Imlach said Okawari House would bring Shinjuku nightlife to Nobbys.

It will be a rustic fit-out with hanging umbrellas, wall murals and street signs.

Mr Imlach said head chef Takumi Nitta had been waiting 10 months for the perfect venue.

The menu has gyoza, deep fried tempura, BBQ corn rib miso mayo chilli pop corn and grilled pawn with seaweed butter.

Mr Imlach said yakitori would be the menu star and he would reveal the opening date soon.

The Holliday Coffee will have 10 square metres of Okawari House, offering morning coffees and light breakfast including, jaffles, croissants and banana bread.

Mr Imlach said he had seen what happened with Nook after Burleigh Pavilion kicked them out of their hole-in-thewall coffee shop after 14 years.

“I felt sorry for him and think he does the best coffee on the Coast,” he said.

“I’m just trying to bring all the locals and good operators together.”

Mr Wilkins said he was “excited” for the new venture but five weeks away from opening.

He was confident in Mr Imlach and their loyal following, especially when light rail arrives.

“We can’t just disappear and sit away. We have to push through,” Mr Wilkins said.

“There is going to be a lot of tradies and we will capture the people on the beach side of the light rail.”

People blame the tram but I don’t think the tram is the problem, I think people are doing bad business. People aren’t going to stop eating for 10 years

Scott Imlach