The City of Casey is accepting expressions of interest to find a new owner for the historic Old Cheese Factory café.
The popular homestead café was previously run by council until the pandemic forced it to shut its doors in 2020.
Once restrictions were lifted council decided it would no longer operate the cafe, but strong support from the community made it clear the site was valued as a café .
Since January 2022, the venue has operated as a takeaway cafe service by local business Little by Little, who also run a small cafe at nearby Wilson Botanic Park.
The 25-acre Old Cheese Factory site is a historic venue that offers space for community activities and workshops, picturesque gardens, playground, buildings and grounds that can be hired for functions.
Council is now seeking expressions of interest from a third-party hospitality provider to run the Homestead space as a dine-in and take-away cafe under a lease arrangement.
It is anticipated that in addition to running a dine-in café, the new operator would also have capacity to provide a limited catering service for events held at the Old Cheese Factory.
City of Casey Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Patterson, said the Old Cheese Factory was one of Council’s most popular facilities, attracting locals and tourists who come to explore the heritage buildings, gardens, take part in regular activities, or visit the regular farmers’ market.
“We are keen to hear from suitably qualified and experienced café operators who are interested in operating the cafe in the Homestead space and reinvigorating this much-loved facility,” Mr Patterson said.
“The Old Cheese Factory attracts a significant number of visitors throughout the year, and we are looking forward to seeing a thriving café as part of the offering once again.”
Expressions of interest are being accepted until 13 July 2022. For more information, visit Council’s website.
