Wollongong's Lower East Cafe "all smiles" after parking rules update

The cafe management took to social media on Friday, rejoicing the updated parking signs allowing a 30 minute park as compared to the previous No Stopping zone.

The Wollongong business which feared loss of customers due to "frustrating" parking rules, seemed satisfied to see things moving in the right direction.

"We're all smiles here today, because common sense has prevailed [and] council has updated the parking signs across from the cafe," the post read.

"There are still some No Stopping times (that could use some fine tuning) so delivery [and] rubbish collection vehicles can access Moore Lane, but this is a win for us [and] our customers."

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The new parking sign allows customers to park for 30 minutes between 8.30am and 4.30pm on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, between 11am and 4.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 8.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday.

The move comes after the cafe suffered months of disruption in customer flow due to several factors including UCI road closures, Crown street repaving and traffic changes.

Owner Teesh Krishnayya previously told the Mercury he'd been pleading with Wollongong City Council to replace parking spaces outside his eatery, which were removed to make way for a lengthy new No Stopping zone at the eastern end of the road between Kembla and Corrimal streets.

"It's been eight months of disruptions for us now, and we worry that people will stop coming - even our long term customers say sadly if they can't find a park in the area they will have to consider their options about where they go," Mr Krishnayya had said.

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In addition, the outdoor dining trial funded by a $250,000 NSW Government grant to "relocate road space" for outdoor dining, added to the eatery's miseries.

"I think the project needs to be revisited so that any outdoor dining space doesn't come at the cost of parking," he said.

The cafe management urged its social media followers to provide feedback on the outdoor dining trial to the council while the survey was still open.

"The survey on the council's outdoor dining trial is still open which takes into account the picnic tables set up on lower Crown Street [and] the one way driving direction...so if you have feedback, now is the time to make sure your voice is heard," the Instagram post read.

Feedback can be submitted until Tuesday 28 February 2023 by:

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