Perth Voice Interactive

A SHORTFALL of six parking bays is putting in jeopardy plans for a ground-breaking American-style BBQ restaurant in Bayswater.

John Earnshaw had planned to open Porkies Barbeque at the corner of Railway Parade and Grand Promenade next month, but council officers say a lack of parking means the application must go out for public consultation.

What grinds Mr Earnshaw’s grits is he wasn’t told of the problem till near the end of his 90-day application period.

“The lease that we signed had a lease-free period which we will now have to pay, with no security that we will even get approval for our restaurant,” he told the Voice.

“We also cannot start fit out as we cannot get a building permit and even then we risk capital investment if we then get refused by the council.

“Our timeframes had aligned with the 90-day process and we were expecting to open in late October.

“With the news yesterday it looks like this could be pushed now until December — this has a significant impact on our family, both financially and emotionally.”

The Bedford resident has worked in hospitality for 25 years and trained as a “pitmaster” in America. He is one of the few qualified BBQ judges in WA.

He has imported a state-of-the-art smoker from Missouri and says his restaurant would be the only outlet in WA to offer authentic “low and slow barbecue”.

He argues there’s plenty of parking at a nearby “common bitumen area”, as well as across the road at Meltham train station.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK