By Luke Voogt
The Beach House’s new operator has admitted he should have met with Heritage Victoria before lodging plans to renovate the iconic building.
Mulberry Group director Nathan Toleman made the admission amid revelations the heritage building would remain closed for a third consecutive summer.
“We’ve learned our lesson – next time we’ll get a pre-planning application meeting from the start,” he told the Indy yesterday.
The agency sent Mulberry Group back to the drawing board after the company submitted plans with advice from an independent heritage consultant.
“(Heritage Victoria) understand the importance of bringing the building back to life and getting people in there,“ Mr Toleman said.
“They just wanted to make a few amendments and adjustments.”
Mr Toleman was “not bitter or angry” and admitted his company had been “ambitious” in hoping to open a restaurant at the building this summer.
“It’s frustrating but it’s not the end of the world,” he said.
The adjustments included modifying plans to build an external pergola for undercover heating during winter, Mr Toleman said.
“We wanted to make it a square shape. They requested a more rectangular shape, which we’re quite happy to do.”
Other “minor” adjustments included painting window frames cream instead of green and changes to the company’s plans for an additional kitchen upstairs, Mr Toleman said.
The adjustments would delay construction until at least May, which would postpone reopening until the winter off-season, he said.
“We have to adjust our expectations and our staffing levels.”
Determining which parts of the building were original or modified was difficult, Mr Toleman explained.
“The building’s quite old and it’s obviously had modifications over the years which haven’t been approved,” he said.
“We’re almost having to right wrongs from previous operators.”
Earlier this month Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood criticised Heritage Victoria for delaying the reopening.
In May council allocated $500,000 for repairs and disability access at the building and in August issued a 10-year in-principle lease to Mulberry Group.
The lease required the building to be economically-viable for Mulberry Group, Cr Harwood told the Indy.
