Alfresco hubs: What Melbourne’s outdoor dining plan looks like

Fifteen outdoor dining hubs will be set up to help eateries without outdoor dining spaces boost patronage as coronavirus cases fall and the city reopens.

City of Melbourne CEO Justin Hanney has revealed the first details of the CBD’s outdoor dining plan, which will be announced this afternoon.

There are an estimated 2400 restaurants and cafes in the city, but only 800 of them have outdoor spaces.

For venues which already have outdoor dining, they’ll be allowed to expand their alfresco areas.

“If their neighbouring shops allow them .. .they can expand either side, they can go out on to the car parking bays,” Mr Hanney told Ross and Russel.

Meanwhile, venues without outdoor dining will be able to choose to go to one of more than a dozen outdoor dining hubs.

“We’ve identified about 15 locations across the city they can nominate to go to if they’d like to,” Mr Hanney said.

The hubs will include the Queen Victoria Market car park, Chinatown, and Oliver Lane.

The council and state government will pay for all bollards, planters and safety barriers needed to facilitate outdoor dining hubs.

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