Two Pyrmont restaurants are locked in a bitter battle over outdoor seating.
City News understands local residents have been complaining to Council of a lack of walking space in front of Harris Street restaurant, the Persian Room.
According to their Development Consent, Persian Room is allowed six tables and 18 chairs in the publicway.
A Pyrmont resident, who asked not to be named, said the restaurant consistently went over this number, blocking the entire walkway.
Maryam Layeghi, proprietor of the Persian Room, contacted City News, complaining of being unfairly targeted by council rangers and staff.
“I’m not sure if it is a councillor or not a councillor because I asked from him to give me a card, but he said ‘no I don’t want to give you a card’,” Ms Layeghi said.
Ms Layeghi said rangers had visited her restaurant on a number of occasions, taking pictures of patrons without permission. “He is an old man, fat and very old man. I said to him ‘why do you take picture of me?’
Ms Layeghi claimed she had no idea why Council rangers were targeting her business.
But when pressed, she said that it may have been because of the number of chairs and tables she used in the outdoor area of her restaurant. “They saying ‘you’re just putting too many chairs and tables outside, I said ‘I don’t. I just maybe once my customers said it’s too hot they took two chairs out to sit outside.”
Ms Layeghi believed the owner of the neighbouring restaurant, Viva Goa, was reporting the complaints to Council.
The owner of Viva Goa, Gus D’Souza, denies this claim. “On February 14, Valentine’s Day, they were setting up loud speakers and amplifiers outside in the courtyard and Council came by and had a look and proceeded to fine them,” Mr D’Souza said.
“Within 10 minutes they were at my doorstep saying that they found out that I was the person who made the call to the council.
“I said ‘look it’s not me mate, I’ve never complained to Council. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ They said ‘no we know it was you. Don’t try and deny that’.”
A City of Sydney spokesperson confirmed Council had received complaints against the Persian Room. “The City of Sydney received a complaint that the Persian Room Restaurant was placing items of furniture on the public way, contrary to their Development Application,” the spokesperson said. “The DA permits six tables and 18 chairs to be set up in the publicway.”
“Inspections by Council rangers show the business had been setting up in excess of these numbers.
“Initial warnings were given to the business operators but routine follow up inspections found the business was still setting up more items than permitted.
“One fine of $3000 has been issued to the business owners for breaching the conditions of their Development Consent.
The spokesperson added Council had receive information that an altercation may have occurred involving staff from the Persian Room Restaurant and a neighbouring business, but had advised complainants to contact the police.
Councillor Marcelle Hoff, who lives in Pyrmont, said she was also aware of the complaints. “If someone is not abiding by the Development Application conditions, the rangers are out inspecting that,” Cr Hoff said. “If they are aware that that restaurant is not abiding by the conditions then they have to do something about it.”
“Some months ago there was a complaint about the Persian Room blocking access to people with disabilities by the number of tables and chairs … that’s when the rangers then began to take notice of the numbers of tables and chairs out there.”
Cr Hoff confirmed Mr D’Souza’s claim that he had not made any complaints to the council. “Certainly it wasn’t the restaurants near by who complained about the disability access. It was a client, or I presume it was. It was someone in a wheelchair who wanted to get through along that walkway and could not get through and therefore had to go up and around.”
Cr Hoff denied claims the Persian Room was being unfairly targeted, saying Council would be concerned about any business that was in breach of their Development Consent. “The issue here is that if indeed any business is putting up more tables and chairs than they are paying for, so they are not paying the same fee as other people would be in the same circumstances, then they are getting greater benefits than their neighbours who are paying the fees,” she said.
“It also means that less money is coming into Council. So the ratepayers are being shortchanged as well when fees for large numbers of tables and chairs are not being paid. That’s just the case for all footwear licensees and not just this one.”
by Ehssan Veiszadeh
