Save Sublime Espresso Bar

We, the undersigned, ask that you reconsider the decision to shutdown the Sublime Espresso Bar located at 250 Oxley Rd, Graceville QLD 4075.

We feel that the Brisbane City Council has received misrepresentations of the Sublime Espresso Bar and its customer base due to no more than two unhappy local residents who feel its business has created a heavy traffic presence on Strong Avenue, Graceville.

The Sublime Espresso Bar has been operating for more than 18months and not once has a member from council attended to inspect the premises. The decision to shutdown The Sublime Espresso Bar has been made by simply viewing the plans of the premises and we feel should a member of council attend the premises it may become obvious that closing the Sublime Espresso Bar is drastic & unnecessary.

It is understood that the Brisbane City Council considers the Sublime Espresso Bar to be a “New Restaurant” and we do not believe that this classification fits the persona of the business which usually seats no more that half a dozen to a dozen customers at any one time.

Wikipedia describes a restaurant as a venue that “prepares and serves food, drink and dessert to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services.”

Although The Sublime Espresso Bar is considered a “New Restaurant” under new council guidelines, the Sublime Espresso Bar has not been serving food made on the premises for some time & simply offers coffee & small pre-packaged goods such as Biscotti.

Any complaint regarding level of traffic on Strong Avenue should be seriously reviewed. Many fellow residents would agree that the reasonably small customer base at Sublime Espresso Bar is almost unnoticed with the majority use of the road being tradsepeople & heavy vehicles building new homes & repairing others (much of which was consistent prior to the January floods).

We would also argue that a very large percentage of Sublime Espresso Bar’s customers walk and / or cycle to their destination for Coffee.

As mentioned previously, although the Sublime Espresso Bar has the capacity, it would rarely seat more than a dozen customers at any one time and therefore we believe the five car spaces provided are ample for Sublime’s customer base. Considering also that many customers are families whom if aren’t walking to Sublime Espresso Bar, are arriving in a vehicle together.

The Sublime Espresso Bar is a family owned business employing a number of local people and offering a hub for the community including other local business to meet & network with friends & strangers.

Contributing not only to the recovering local economy but also to the community; in January 2011, Sublime Espresso Bar’s staff could be found in their customers houses, helping them & their families clean up & re-build after the devastating floods. Sublime Espresso Bar’s staff also housed a large number of people in their own homes until they were able to find alternative accommodation.

If the Brisbane City Council follows through with the decision to close this small business filled with smiles, charm & friendly faces that makes so many local people feel welcome, we believe the community of Graceville & it’s surrounds will be at a terrible loss. Traffic levels on Strong Avenue will not be reduced, a small number of very valued members of our community will loose their livelihoods and a large number of locals will loose their much loved coffee spot.

We have all been touched & affected by the people at Sublime Espresso Bar in some way, and none of us want to see it go.