Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Chimney Restaurant Northbridge - Closed Down

The Chimney Restaurant, 171 James St Northbridge has closed down. With 2002 purchasers of a $39 Scoopon voucher left wondering what is happening. We will update you as soon as we hear what is happening

Monday, May 30, 2011

Andy Marshall's Parents Visit Cottesloe

from The West Australian

The parents of musician Andy Marshall say the culture of violence must stop before anyone else loses their life so senselessly.

"It must stop here in Perth and in Australia as it must in New Zealand at home as well, where innocent lives are being taken," Wendy Marshall said.

Wendy and Alan Marshall came to Perth from New Zealand for the first time late last week to see where their 29-year-old son had been living for almost three years.

But instead of being met by his smiling face at the airport, they came to pack his possessions and visit the place where he died.

Andy Marshall, a drummer with Perth band Rich Widow, wasallegedly pushed through a window at the Ocean Beach Hotel in Cottesloe on May 8, falling 7m to his death.

“We have to, in some way, make what happened here ... count for something,” Mr Marshall said. “People need to feel safe.”

“You don’t know if you’re going to save somebody ... by saying something.

“You might not ever know that but maybe someone’s life will be spared and some other family’s agony will be spared.”

He said people needed to be responsible and held accountable for their actions and not have “easy outs” by blaming alcohol, their upbringing or other factors.

The Marshalls said their gentle, caring son — who had “the gift of joy” — should never have died in such circumstances.

They hoped that by telling their story, they could stop another family from going through the same pain.

“When we brought him home, he came home in a box,” Mr Marshall said. “How’s that supposed to make sense?”

Mrs Marshall said she had half-expected her adventurous son to be injured while bungee jumping or parachuting.

The Marshalls said the horrific news that their son, the second of their three children, had died had blown their world apart.

Their son died 10 months to the day after their nephew, Scott Guy, was shot to death on his New Zealand farm.

Mr and Mrs Marshall said Andy was full of energy and life but also had an “amazingly gentle, quiet nature”.

“We think he had the gift of joy, his smile lit up the room,” Mr Marshall said. “Every child just fills your life 100 per cent, so when one of them goes it just feels like you’ve totally lost everything in a way and yet we’ve still got two beautiful children with partners.”

At their home in Tauranga on New Zealand’s North Island, they had no connection to Perth and felt isolated from the community’s disbelief and anger over their son’s death.

“I think it definitely helps to be here and to feel perhaps what’s going on,” Mr Marshall said.

They said their thoughts were with the family of Luke Adams,the 19-year-old footballer left fighting for his life after he was allegedly assaulted in Northbridge on May 1.

The Marshalls laid a wreath on Friday under the window atthe beachside hotel where theirson fell and spent time at theweekend with some of his close Perth mates.

They said facing what had happened to their son was an important step in their grieving but they were unsure whether they would return to Perth for the court case over his death.

Whatever happened, it would not bring their son back.

“That’s what we’re finding, just day-by-day nothing’s going to change, nothing will bring Andy back to us and that’s what you live with,” Mrs Marshall said.

Despite their sorrow, the Marshalls said they wanted people to share their faith and confidence that they would see their son again and that he was in a good place.

“To share suffering without hope, it’s got no point,” Mr Marshall said. “We know we’ll see him again and we know he’s safe.”

Stefan Pahia Schmidt is charged with Mr Marshall’s murder and will next appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrate’s Court on June 15.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Student charged with stealing a fork

Paul Lampathakis From: The Sunday Times May 28, 2011 4

A YOUNG State Emergency Service volunteer has been charged with stealing and could have a criminal record for taking a $1 fork from a restaurant table as a prank.
Police have decided to charge 19-year-old advertising student Jacob Bonser with stealing, after he grabbed a fork from a table outside a Northbridge restaurant to poke a friend while enjoying a Saturday night out in October last year.

Mr Bonser, an SES volunteer and former soldier, who has no criminal record, said he put the utensil down on the table about "three seconds" after picking it up when police approached him.

He said police initially gave him a move-on order and a "talking to" which he thought was "fair enough".

But he received a summons for a stealing charge for a fork valued by police at "$1.00" in their statement of material facts.

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.Mr Bonser's father, Gary, said a conviction would wreck his son's future and waste thousands of taxpayers' dollars "just for a $1 fork".

"We were a bit tipsy but I wasn't drunk, and I picked up the fork for just a muck around with my friends. I was going to jab a friend with it," Mr Bonser said this week, ahead of a July 6 court appearance.

"There was no intention to steal it. About three seconds later an officer grabbed me by the collar. I just heard the words, 'You're under arrest'."

Mr Bonser said he was going to drop the fork back on the table after poking his friend.

But he said he was remorseful about the incident and the inconvenience he had caused to police and the restaurant.

Mr Bonser's lawyer, John Hammond, said another lawyer wrote to the officer to have the matter dropped, but the officer wrote back saying it was a matter of "principle".

"But there should be a principle of common sense and it's clearly not common sense to prosecute a young person with an excellent record for a $1 fork, when it will cost more than that to turn the light bulb on in the court," Mr Hammond said.

A spokeswoman for Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said the case had been brought to the attention of Assistant Commissioner (Metro) Gary Budge, "who has initiated a review of the circumstances of the charge to determine whether it is in the public interest to proceed".

Friday, May 27, 2011

Prohibition Orders

It has been just on 2 years since the first Prohibition Order was issued. Since then they have seemed to gained some pace.
How many have been granted now? 81!

Below is the list of every Prohibition Order From June 2009 to May 2011

Z0092 Prohibition Order Matthew Angus Morran North Haven
Z0093 Prohibition Order Chloe Lee O'Meara Derby
Z0086 Prohibition Order FINBARR CHRISTOPHER FAGAN Carlisle
Z0087 Prohibition Order BRENT JON VODANOVICH Cable Beach
Z0088 Prohibition Order MARAIKA KASANDRA LAUESE Kalgoorlie
Z0089 Prohibition Order BRYCE LESLIE HOLDEN Canning Vale
Z0090 Prohibition Order RHIANNON SKYE BONACCHI Landsdale
Z0091 Prohibition Order BENJAMIN MICHAEL SPORN Scarborough
Z0083 Prohibition Order Nikolas Thomas Martin Balcatta
Z0085 Prohibition Order Margaret Winder Kilgour Port Hedland
Z0078 Prohibition Order Desiree Melanie Stack
Z0079 Prohibition Order Brian Charles Ward Broome
Z0080 Prohibition Order Troy Raymond McKeown Samson
Z0081 Prohibition Order Mathew William McNess Port Kennedy
Z0082 Prohibition Order Sean Fahy Traralgon, Vic
Z0072 Prohibition Order FIONA MARRIE WESTON
Z0074 Prohibition Order JOHN MIKLOS KOCSIS
Z0075 Prohibition Order ANDREW RONALD JOHN WOODS
Z0076 Prohibition Order GIACOMO ROCCO MONASTRA
Z0077 Prohibition Order KAVALJIT SINGH DEOL
Z0064 Prohibition Order Ibarhem Bakesmati
Z0065 Prohibition Order Kyle John Best
Z0069 Prohibition Order ASHER DANIELA MCLEOD
Z0070 Prohibition Order JUSTIN PIERRE SAGE
Z0071 Prohibition Order RICKY PETER HOROPAPERA
Z0059 Prohibition Order Ethan Craig Bradford
Z0060 Prohibition Order John David Hoffman
Z0061 Prohibition Order Steven Trowbridge
Z0062 Prohibition Order Daniel Tame Lewis
Z0063 Prohibition Order Tristan Roger Allbeury
Z0054 Prohibition Order Darren John Bradshaw
Z0055 Prohibition Order Danny Sydney Makin
Z0056 Prohibition Order Scott Thomas Sanders
Z0057 Prohibition Order Daniel Sean Taylor
Z0058 Prohibition Order Lele Faamafu
Z0039 Prohibition Order Jason Tyan Brand
Z0040 Prohibition Order Brooke Patricia O'Brien
Z0041 Prohibition Order Shanna Alyce Boxall
Z0042 Prohibition Order Cara-Lee Atkins
Z0043 Prohibition Order Allan John Brooks
Z0045 Prohibition Order Victor Cadely Smith
Z0046 Prohibition Order Matthew Pearce Merralls
Z0047 Prohibition Order Chase Brian Connlley
Z0048 Prohibition Order Mark Hans Tickner
Z0049 Prohibition Order Jacob Samuel Stone
Z0050 Prohibition Order Anthony Shane Bavoillot
Z0023 Prohibition Order Stephen Michael Reidy
Z0036 Prohibition Order NAM HOANG NGUYEN
Z0037 Prohibition Order Christopher Wallace Rutherford
Z0038 Prohibition Order Terry Kimberley Houlahan
Z0022 Prohibition Order TYRON O'NEILL CORPUS
Z0024 Prohibiton Order WALEED KHALED ALOGRAN
Z0025 Prohibition Order TEGAN JANE PLANT
Z0026 Prohibition Order MEGAN CLAIRE BROWN
Z0027 Prohibition Order ROBERT WAYNE DOODSON
Z0028 Prohibition Order SHANNON HAURANGI STADS
Z0029 Prohibition Order NATASHA SONTONG KING
Z0030 Prohibition Order BLAIR JON DE ROODE
Z0031 Prohibition Order ADAM TONY FORSYTH
Z0033 Prohibition Order Shinayd Breanna Trotman
Z0034 Prohibition Order Mohamed Igasaan Evans
Z0018 Prohibition Order Geoffrey Alan Duggan
Z0019 Prohibition Order Harley Delacey
Z0020 Prohibition Order TIKI TERE RICHARD BUTLER
Z0021 Prohibition Order RICKY LEE WELSH
Z0015 Prohibition Order SOTIRIOS IOANNIDIS
Z0016 Prohibition Order WARD CURTIS BRENNAN
Z0017 Prohibition Order ALAN HENRY YARROW
Z0010 Prohibition Order Felicia Lucinda Wood
Z0011 Prohibition Order Michael James Aris
Z0012 Prohibition Order Adam John Crawford
Z0013 Prohibition Order Christopher Clayton Gazzone
Z0014 Prohibition Order Bradley John Younger
Z0008 Prohibition Order Eva Grace Scolaro
Z0009 Prohibition Order Neil Walker Kennedy
Z0006 Prohibition Order David Lee Curnow
Z0007 Prohibition Order Oliver Robert Francis
Z0003 Prohibition Order Mr Lyle James Cox
z0005 Prohibition Order Mr Marshall Morlumbun
Z0002 Prohibition Order Mohammad Rafi Bashardoost
Z0001 Prohibition Order ZARKO RAJAKOVIC

May Liquor Licensing Decisions

To date there have been only 2 non-standard liquor licensing decisions handed down this month. Both of them are Prohibition Orders.

Prohibition Order Matthew Angus Morran North Haven
Prohibition Order Chloe Lee O'Meara Derby

Compass Hotels for sale

Compass hotels are set to be put on market

Compass collapsed in March after financier St George Bank called in receivers to recover debts of more than $100 million.

Receivers for failed Perth pub owner Compass Hotel Group say they have received strong interest in the sale of the collapsed firm's 12 licensed premises.

Taylor Woodings today announced that it had appointed CB Richard Ellis Jones and Lang LaSalle Hotels jointly as agents to provide for the sale of the groups pubs, which includes Lakers Tavern, Gosnells Hotel, the Albion Hotel, the Carine Glades Tavern, the Greenwood Hotel and the Brighton Hotel, among others.

Receiver Ian Francis said he had already received significant interest in the assets and a marketing campaign for the sale would begin by the middle of next month."The pubs continue to operate on a business-as-usual basis ensuring the value in the operations is maintained," he said.

CB Richard Ellis Hotels senior director David Kennedy said the group comprised a big slice of the Perth metro pub/tavern market with some of the best trading premises.

"Pub/tavern buyers have been starved of good hotel product over the past three years due to the Compass purchase (in 2007) and we are aware of the demand for each of the 12 premises because of the many inquiries made to us in anticipation of sale in one line, piecemeal or individually," he said.

Mr Francis said the group's employees would not be affected by the sale and the receivers would keep staff and key stakeholders informed of its progress.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Compass Hotel Group Venues

As the industry looks toward the break up of the Compass Group I have been frequently asked "What venues do they have?" Well here is the current list.

Kalamunda Hotel
43 Railway Road Kalamunda WA 6076
9257 1084
92571019
www.kalamundahotel.com.au
Carine Glades Tavern
493 Beach Road Duncraig WA 6023
94477400
92462441
www.thecarine.com.au
Princess Rd Tavern
92 Princess Road Balga WA 6061
93499601
93443761
www.princessroad.com.au
Peninsula Tavern
223 Railway Parade Maylands WA 6051
92711147
93703044
www.peninsulatavern.com.au
Brighton Hotel
8 Mandurah Terrace Mandurah WA 6210
95348864
95358802
www.brightonmandurah.com.au
Peel Alehouse
Lot 3 Guava Way Halls Head WA 6210
95815400
98815404
www.peelalehouse.com.au
Belmont Tavern
174 Wright St Cloverdale WA 6105
92772077
92776055
www.belmonttavern.com.au
Herdsman Lake Tavern
33 Herdsman Pde Wembley WA 6014
9387 5555
93872133
www.herdsmantavern.com.au
Albion Hotel
535 Stirling Highway Cottesloe WA 6011
9384 0021
93831932
www.albioncottesloe.com.au
Gosnells Hotel
2149 Albany Highway Gosnells WA 6110
93982224
94902004
www.gosnellshotel.com.au
Greenwood Hotel
349 Warwick Rd Greenwood WA 6024
92469711
92469282
www.greenwoodhotel.com.au
Lakers Tavern
Murdoch Road Thornlie WA 6108
94933522
94930488
www.lakerstavern.com.au

Saturday, May 21, 2011

$3m a month for asylum seekers hotels

$3 million a month for asylum seekers hotels
Samantha Maiden, National Political Editor
The Sunday Times May 21, 2011

JULIA Gillard is spending $3 million a month to house asylum seekers in hotels.
And the Prime Minister is facing an investigation into Australia's detention centres following revelations of violence and communicable diseases among asylum seeekers.

It comes as Australia's asylum seeker policy is expected to dominate Parliament when MPs return to Canberra this week.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison will announce today the Coalition's plans for a parliamentary select committee with the power to call witnesses and demand government documents.

It will consider evidence including hotel bills of $3.1 million to house 673 detainees at an estimated cost of $4,500 per person per month.

Between September 2010 to February this year, the cost of accommodating people in hotel-style accommodation also rose from $2.36m to $3.1 million a month.

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.In Perth, asylum seekers have been put up in the leafy Banksia Tourist Caravan Park in Hazelmere and at a Jandakot hotel.

The inquiry would also consider other evidence of a crisis within the detention centre including:

COMMUNICABLE diseases reports of tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Whooping Cough rising to 121 cases.

SEX ABUSE allegations and claims of assault against detainees and incidents of self-harm and violence within the overcrowded centres.

LEGAL costs of $10 million since July for lawyers and litigation costs, including challenging visa decisions.

OVER 20 babies born in detention and the 1,000 children currently in Immigration detention as of May 6.

"With an average of more than three critical incidents being reported every day in the detention network, ranging from self harm and serious assaults to riots, fires and even deaths , the Government must now be held to account," Mr Morrison told The Sunday Times.

"Violent riots, a cost blow out of more than $3 billion, a detention population at record levels, more than 60 per cent of detainees having been there for more than six months, cannot go unnoticed by this parliament."

A spokesman for the Immigration Department said low-cost hotel-or-motel style accommodation had been used as alternative detention facilities for several years under successive governments.

"The department is currently using a number of commercial accommodation sites as low-security detention facilities for IMA families and vulnerable clients," he said.

"They included the Virginia Palms Hotel a "4-star" hotel in Brisbane, the Asti Hotel in Darwin, the Darwin Airport Lodge, Leonora in WA and Jandakot in WA.

"When the minister announced expanded use of community detention and also new and expanded detention accommodation, he also said the department would progressively cease the use of the Virginia Palms and the Asti as other facilities and arrangements come online. This is ongoing."

The Coalition will seek the support of the Greens and the Independents to investigate the treatment of children in detention, the riots, and reports of violence, self-harm and even sexual abuse against detainees.

Mr Morrison said over 3,400 reportable incidents have occurred in detention centres this financial year including 850 critical events ranging from escapes to suicides, assaults and riots and 794 major incidents.

Cottesloe pub security company previously fired for letting in bikies


Nicole Cox, Police Reporter From: The Sunday Times May 21, 2011

Nightclub Flawless fired a security company for letting in bikies.

THE security company sacked by a Cottesloe pub after a death linked to the Rock Machine bikie club was fired last month by another venue for admitting Comancheros members.
The Sunday Times has learnt that known Comancheros and their associates were let into the Subiaco club Flawless by Nightlife Security Services bouncers despite attempts by the club's management to bar them. It is understood a worker was hit as she tried to intervene.

Last week The Sunday Times revealed that the Ocean Beach Hotel terminated Nightlife Security's contract after door staff allowed Rock Machine bikies into the venue on May 8. Witnesses said bouncers welcomed the bikies into the pub, hugging and shaking hands, before 29-year-old musician Andy Marshall was allegedly thrown 7m to his death by a Rock Machine associate.

Last Sunday, Nightlife Security bouncers clashed with Comancheros at Thornlie's Lakers Tavern when they were refused entry because they were wearing club patches. Police said one bouncer was bashed unconscious and another needed medical treatment to remove a security radio earpiece that became stuck in his ear after a blow to the head.

Nightlife Security Services general manager Wayne Russell confirmed this week that Comancheros had been allowed entry to Flawless. He said the head doorman had allowed them in "to keep the peace" and had planned to call the Gang Crime Squad to remove them, but the call to police was never made.

But he denied his company was embroiled in WA's bikie scene and rejected suggestions the company had been sacked from Flawless, saying he had surrendered the contract because management had interfered with security operations.

A spokesman for Lakers Tavern said Nightlife Security Services was still employed by the pub.

Rock Machine associate Stefan Pahia Schmidt, 25, has been charged with murder over Mr Marshall's death. He will next appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on June 15.

Mr Marshall's body was returned to his family in New Zealand this week, and a funeral for him is to be held in the North Island town of Tauranga tomorrow .

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bill for Perth CHOGM leaders' luxury hits $5m

Bill for CHOGM leaders' luxury hits $5m

NICK BUTTERLY CANBERRA, The West Australian
May 18, 2011, 5:20 am
Taxpayers have forked out almost $5 million on luxury Perth accommodation for the army of world leaders, advisers and bureaucrats at the October Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Federal Government documents show.

The Hyatt Regency Hotel on Adelaide Terrace is the biggest winner, with the Government spending more than $1 million on rooms there between November last year and November 5 this year.

The Government has spent $480,000 on beds at the Rydges Hotel, $240,000 at the Rendezvous Hotel and $350,000 at the Mantra on Murray.

Bookings worth $479,000 have been made at the Citigate Hotel, while $275,000 has been spent at the Crowne Plaza and $136,000 at the Duxton. CHOGM organisers have said much of the cost of rooms for delegates will be reimbursed.

While the bulk of the bookings have been made for the three days over which the event will run, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on hotel beds in WA since late last year to accommodate hundreds of public servants who have been flying between Perth and Canberra to plan the forum.

The shortage of hotels in Perth has forced organisers to also snap up rooms at smaller boutique hotels and serviced apartments.

Yesterday, Special Minister of State Gary Gray said 40 West Australians would have the opportunity to take part in a Commonwealth People's Forum during CHOGM.

More than 250 delegates from around the Commonwealth will take part in the forum, which will craft a statement about their hopes and aspirations to present to world leaders at the summit. People can register for the forum at www.cpf2011.org .

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Andy Marshall Witnesses

Following an incident at a coastal pub last Sunday the 8th of May 2011, The West Australian Police Service sought help from the public to identified two women who interacted with musician Andy Marshall just prior to he was allegedly thrown to his death through a window at Cottesloe pub the OBH. One of the women has now been identified as being a companion of Stefan Pahia Schmidt, the man charged with causing Andy Marshall's death.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

RSA Responsible Service of Alcohol Courses

So who needs to do a RSA compliant training course?
The answer: Anyone who is working in a front line service position in the hospitality industry. If you serve alcohol or manage the service of alcohol you need to have undertaken an appropriate RSA course from an approved training company.

There are so many options now available both in person or online.
You should expect an on site course to take between 4 and 5 hours. If you take the online option the course will be shorter. Think 2-3 hours. Price ranges between $45 and around $75.

I was in a hurry and ended up going with the AHA. Prior to taking the course it is important that you ensure that the course is recognised in the state that you will be working. Whilst the course is now an Australia wide curriculum some states have varying requirements.

Too many MasterChefs in the kitchen

watoday.com.au: Jenna Clarke

The increasing expectations of restaurant patrons has been partly blamed on the MasterChef phenomenon.

Restaurateurs claim unrealistic expectations of food, prompted partly by the culinary television phenomenon MasterChef, are why customers are becoming increasingly disgruntled when eating out in Perth.

Alongside the increasingly refined palates of Gen Y and Gen Alpha, the state's mining boom has also copped a serve, with restaurant owners claiming it has left the industry facing a dire shortage of professional staff.

The issue of Perth's service industry's appalling standards was thrust into the spotlight after prominent writer and Fairfax blogger John Birmingham unloaded on our local waitstaff after a recent visit to Perth.

Story continues below Birmingham said he was consistently subjected to rudeness and bad attitudes while eating in cafes and restaurants throughout our city - a sentiment backed up by the dozens of readers who were quick to post their comments.

Claims of poor service have plagued the Perth entertainment scene for years. But now local restaurant and venue owners are urging patrons to appreciate the difficulties caused by critical shortages of qualified and competent servers thanks to the state's booming economy.

They also pleaded with people not to be blinded by the glamourous, Michelin-star quality food and service that TV shows such as MasterChef and celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver plate up.

"The emergence of food on TV is a double-edged sword for our industry," restaurateur Steve Scaffidi admitted.

"It's great to see the likes of Jamie Oliver showing people how to live to eat, not just eat to live, and make food a conscious factor in their lives. But I think a lot of people then fail to comprehend what it actually takes to open, run and cook in a restaurant and sustain a business.

"We get people coming into the restaurants and who make nonsensical requests and unqualified claims and you just know they've watched an episode of MasterChef the night before," said the 30-year hospitality veteran, who owns and runs Bar One and Sentinel Bar and Grill.

Hold onto your linen napkins and melon ballers, things could get even worse. With a generation of children growing up exposed to the "food on TV" cultural phenomenon, culinary and service expectations in Perth are only going to increase.

"Both restaurant owners and customers need to stay humble and well grounded," Mr Scaffidi said.

"There have always been service issues in Perth, however it is exaggerated here in Perth because of the isolation and our lack of alternative venues and quality staff."

He said businesses were hurting on the front line as highly skilled service staff succumbed to the six-figure salaries dished up by mining companies.

"During the last 12 months demand up north for these quality skills has really intensified and, as a restaurateur, I cannot compete with the remuneration packages of the major corporations.

"I've never worked harder than I have lately, I've had to take a more front-of-house role in the new place purely because the pool of highly-trained staff is too shallow.

"We're left with lots of immigrants, transient young Europeans with minimal knowledge of the local produce and lack of understanding of what Perth customers want.

"Seven out of 10 waitstaff applications that come across my desk are from people who hold short-term visas," he added.

When Birmingham railed against poor service around Perth over the weekend, he was expecting to be crucified by Perth patrons. Instead, Twitter and his blog comments lit up with complaint after complaint about Perth's hospitality, or lack thereof.

These complaints are not foreign to industry groups.

"The number one issue facing the WA hospitality industry is the growing lack of available staff and the high turnover of staff being lost to the mining and resources sector," Australian Hotels Association of WA chief executive Bradley Woods said.

"This results in enormous challenges for some of our members' businesses to provide consistent and long term experienced staff."

The Association was working with the state government to implement a long-term staffing fix which will hopefully allow us to enjoy a glass of wine in Perth without having to whine about it.

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/lifestyle/too-many-masterchefs-in-the-kitchen-20110505-1eafw.html#ixzz1M1j3Mr6S

City of South Perth's plans to revitalise the Old Mill precinct.

The West Australian: BEATRICE THOMAS

The restoration of Millers Pool and a building to house South Perth's first tram are shaping up as the first projects to emerge from the City of South Perth's plans to revitalise the Old Mill precinct and could be built within two years, council leaders say.

Community consultation found 203 of 428 responses were in favour of the plan, 174 against, including 128 pro forma submissions from nearby apartment owners, and 51 unsure.

The plan, which was released for public comment last year, involves restoring the 175-year-old mill and building a new museum, art gallery, cafe and restaurant in a cultural and historical precinct on the eastern side of Narrows Bridge.

On the western side of the bridge, an adventure and recreation precinct would combine water sports businesses with boat pens and a ferry terminal. The roof of a cafe and offices would double as a landing place for a flying fox while a "serpent bridge" would link to Kings Park.

Last week the council agreed to redesign elements of the plan, including shifting the restaurant north near the existing car park, soft edge treatments to the north and south sides of Millers Pool and redesigning the look of the art gallery-museum and marina.

It also backed preparation of detailed financial briefs for Millers Pool and a stand-alone Tram House, which would then be incorporated into a future art gallery and museum.

The council estimates the eastern side of the project would cost more than $14 million, with the western end contingent on State Government approval and funding support.

South Perth mayor James Best said the council was pursuing the "easier things first" while it continued to work on other, more costly elements.

The council has budgeted $500,000 of the $1 million cost of reinstating Millers Pool and $250,000 of the estimated $500,000 cost of building a Tram House.

South Perth chief executive Cliff Frewing said he would pursue Federal funding and said Millers Pool and the Tram House could be built within two years.

Crown's $281m plans for Burswood

PerthNow: Russell Quinn

Burswood Casino Resort's parent company, Crown Limited, will spend hundreds of millions of dollars upgrading the casino and hotel.

CROWN Limited's spending $281 million so the Burswood resort can acquire the neighbouring Holiday Inn hotel and expand the casino's gaming floor and VIP suites.
Crown said it will restructure the existing relationship it has with the Intercontinental Hotel Group, allowing the acquisition of the Holiday Inn hotel building and associated assets and dissolve the partnership under which the Intercontinental and Holiday Inn hotels are operated.

This, Crown said, means Burswood will be entitled to a greater share of hotel profits.

Burswood already owns the land on which the Holiday Inn hotel building is located.

“The total cost of acquiring the Holiday Inn hotel buildings and associated assets plus the costs of dissolving the partnership will be approximately $79 million, subject to usual sale adjustments,” the company said.

The deal, which is subject to a number of regulatory conditions, is expected to be completed early in July 2011.

Crown’s board has also approved a more extensive expansion of the main gaming floor which will accommodate the expansion of Burswood’s food and beverage offerings to include a pub style restaurant, a western style restaurant, a feature bar and a cafĂ©.

The further expansion will take the expected total cost of the project from $73 million to $112 million.

Design work is already underway and, subject to certain conditions, it’s expected that the project will be complete late in 2012.

Meanwhile, the company has approved $7 million in expenditure for the construction of a new Infinity Suite on the ninth level of the resort which will provide additional support to the new VIP gaming salons currently under construction at Burswood, as well as the Pearl Room and its VIP salons.

Under Burswood’s current capital expenditure program, one Infinity Suite has been constructed on level 10 of the Intercontinental Hotel and two Infinity Suites have been constructed on level eight.

Finally, $35 million will be put towards a series of other small projects have also been approved for the Burswood Entertainment Complex including improvements to the entry, convention centre amenities and theatre areas and additional investment in new retail and food and beverage offerings.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Death of Andy Marshall OBH Cottesloe



Tragety stuck on Sunday the 8th of May 2011 at the Ocean beach Hotel (OBH) in Cottesloe in the form of a vile 'Rock Machine' foot soldier 25 year old Stefan Pahia Schmidt who caused the death of Andy Marshall.

Mr Marshall 29 originally from New Zealand is well liked and has a wide circle of friends. He works both as a musician with a Perth band and roof tiler. He died after plunging through a window of the Ocean Beach Hotel in Cottesloe about 9pm on Sunday night. Mr Marshall is believed to be the innocent victim of a gang attack.

The Rock Machine bikie associate, has been charged with Mr Marshall's murder. He did not apply for bail when he faced court this morning and was remanded in custody to appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via video link on May 18.

Photo Courtesy of Perthnow.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/man-pushed-to-death-in-horror-pub-balcony-fall/story-e6frg12c-1226053072866

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Great Little Venue In Perth

I just had a great night out at Canton in Perth City.....Fantastic cocktails awesome staff....Melbourne thanks for showing up!