Café Operator Sought for Fenwick’s Store The historic Fenwick’s Store, seen by many locals as the Gateway to Balmain, will resume life as a daytime only café. Located at 2-8 Weston Street in East Balmain opposite the Darling Street Wharf, Council this week approved the seeking of tenders to operate the historic 1880s building as a café with a five year lease on offer to the successful applicant. A development application was approved on 23 August with the café to operate under reduced daily opening hours of 7am till 5pm following resident concerns. The building has long been the subject of extensive community consultation to determine its future use. The former Leichhardt Council opened the space surrounding the historic building as a landscaped foreshore park in 2012, having invested over $15.8 million on the development of the park and building. Works to restore Fenwick’s (also known as Bell’s Store) to its former glory included repairs to the seawall, open space embellishment, landscaping works and the major restoration of the Fenwick’s Stone Building itself. The Plan of Management for 2-8 Weston Street was widely consulted through public exhibition, public meetings and a public submission process. Following the opening of the new parkland in September 2012, Council Officers actively engaged the community to provide suggestions on options for use of the building. A café was the most favoured preference from that consultation.
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