By Violet Li
Cranbourne’s beloved social enterprise café has been given a three-month eviction notice by Casey Council, leaving the business devastated and the community angered.
A petition to save the L’Arte Central Social Enterprise Café, Catering & Florist in Cranbourne East has attracted more than 2500 signatures within three days.
L’Arte Central is a not-for-profit café, florist, and art space located at the Casey Administration Building at Berwick-Cranbourne Road.
It provides employment, training, and participation opportunities to vulnerable and at-risk youth.
Director Anthony Cheeseman said he knew very well that the building would be eventually “decommissioned” sometime in the future, but said the council caught them off guard with a short notice.
In May 2023, the council engaged with relevant tenants of the building, including L’Arte, to inform them of the plans for a proposed community hub, as well as the future closure of the building.
The building has been assessed as an “end-of-life” asset by the council.
Mr Cheeseman said that a specific timeline for the closure was not pinned down at that meeting, nor were the preferred tenant partners at the new hub other than Cranbourne Library.
He heard nothing afterwards until a month ago, when he was told that the council would not renew their lease and they would have to move out by the end of June this year.
“Basically, the council would work with us [tenants in the building] to get us out over a period of time,” he said.
“But we’re the first ones to be given the [eviction] notice.
“Our lease expired in October last year, and I kept sending emails to council asking if we are going to get a new lease, they always say they are busy at the moment and they have not made the decision.
“Now I got told that’s why they didn’t give me a lease, because they were never going to give me a letter of offer anyway.”
The March council meeting revealed that the proposed community hub would be completed around 2028, and L’Arte was not identified as a tenant partner.
Mr Cheeseman said all they wanted was another 12-month holdover, which he believed was reasonable considering the completion time of the new hub.
“We won’t be going down without a fight,” he said.
Mr Cheeseman emailed Casey’s chief executive officer Glenn Patterson for help, but the response staggered him.
“He said my enterprise and the community services it offers is beyond the remit of council,” he said.
“So, the council doesn’t care about people with disabilities. That’s basically what you’re saying by ‘beyond the remit of council’, which is pretty brutal.”
“We’ll look for somewhere else. Just give us the time to look for somewhere else. It’s unfair with what they’re doing.
“If we’re not going to be here, they should be helping us to find somewhere else.”
Mr Cheeseman said the short-notice eviction would leave 45 hardworking locals without jobs, including 30 staff and 15 participants with disabilities.
“They’re very shocked because they don’t know what to do. I think a lot of them have mortgages, personal loans, and families,” he said.
“This social enterprise has been a cornerstone of our community since its commencement in 2019.
“It’s not just a place where we get our coffee, our food, or our flowers. It’s where we connect with each other, share stories, and build relationships.
“The cafe, catering, and florist have provided employment and participation opportunities for many locals.”
Locals have spoken out in support of the cafe and disappointment towards the council.
“It is sad to see that a place so important to the ones who need a special place to flourish gets taken from them,” one resident wrote under the petition.
“There is plenty of time to help these businesses transition to a new home suitable to the special needs of the community. You have years, yet only give them months.
“We are not just talking about the costs involved, but the necessary time needed for the special people within.
“Disgusting display of inclusivity and caring for the community.”
City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM said the council acknowledged the wonderful work of social enterprises, such as L’Arte, and the positive impact they had on our community.
“The City of Casey has demonstrated how much we value their work via the provision of support in a number of ways in recent years,” she said.
“The Administration Building where L’Arte is currently located will be decommissioned as it is at the end of its life and not financially responsible to retain. With this understanding, all lease agreements with tenants have been of a limited tenure.
“Council first engaged with L’Arte regarding the future of the precinct in 2019, and the Administration Building in May 2023 encouraging them to consider possible new options.
“As much as we want to see L’Arte continue to thrive, they are ultimately a business, and therefore the responsibility to find a new location and plan around the future needs of their business sits with the owners/managers.
“We are strongly committed to supporting L’Arte through this transition as much as possible. This includes linking them with upcoming tender opportunities, and introductions with prospective new landlords or property owners.”
L’Arte was set to have a follow-up meeting with the Casey Council on 19 April to discuss the transition plan.
To sign the petition, visit change.org/p/save-the-l-arte-central-social-enterprise-cafe-catering-florist-in-cranbourne
