Local community rallies to save beloved beachside kiosk from council tender process

The community of Port Melbourne is rallying to save a beloved beachside kiosk from closure.

Caffe Di Lido has been operating out of a small hole in the wall behind the Port Melbourne Life Saving Club for 13 years.

Locals said its owner Teresa Matarazzo knows all her customers by name.

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"She needs a fair go.. we want Teresa to stay," customer of eight years Tony Jones told A Current Affair.

"She's a battler and she deserves to be allowed to live out the rest of her time where she's built a great little business."

The kiosk has become a go-to for local residents and beachgoers who say Teresa doesn't put up her prices.

"Your egg and bacon muffin won't be $6 at the end of this process," Stephen, a St Kilda resident of 40 years, said.

"The ratepayers will be paying $16, which seems to be standard fare at the renovated places down the road."

"The prices are super cheap, sort of pre-inflation boom ... it's extraordinary value."

Every year for more than a decade Teresa's lease has rolled on, but now the City of Port Phillip Council has decided to put the premises out to tender and is taking expressions of interest from the public, something Teresa said came as a shock.

"When you're somewhere for 14 years, wouldn't you think the owner of the property or someone they have so many people in council working, couldn't they ring me and say or come down, this is what we're going to do?" she said.

"I've been blessed to have this community and I just don't want to leave yet.

"I'm scared I might lose and I'm 65 years old, where am I going to go?"

Residents have become so frustrated by the expression of interest process they've started a petition to keep Teresa, and have even paid for a sign to be printed to stand outside her kiosk to get the word out.

"It's a tender process and it looks like they just want to push her out to get more money," Tony said.

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Teresa said the business had been her life and she believed ratepayers should decide if she stays or leaves.

"I think the council are just meeting the requirements they need to do.. but I'm doing everything I can to stay," she said.

In a statement Port Phillip City Council mayor Heather Cunsolo told A Current Affair:

"We appreciate and acknowledge the community interest in the Caffe Di Lido site and support for the current tenant.

"As the tenant has been operating there for 13 years, we advised them in July last year that the kiosk licence would not automatically be renewed and the site would go to tender.

"We have encouraged them to apply in the Expression of Interest process underway for a new lease to occupy the building and a licence to operate / occupy the outdoor area."

Watch the full video in the player above.

FULL PORT PHILLIP CITY COUNCIL STATEMENT

We appreciate and acknowledge the community interest in the Caffe Di Lido site and support for the current tenant.

We have encouraged them to apply in the Expression of Interest process underway for a new lease to occupy the building and a licence to operate / occupy the outdoor area.

Caffe Di Lido is on Crown land managed by our Council.

We consider both Crown Land Leasing Policy and Council's Property Policy when making leasing and licensing decisions. These policies encourage competitive processes to support transparency and fairness, particularly for commercial use.

Council's policy has a standard term of 3-5 years although in exceptional circumstances, such as significant capital investment, longer terms may be considered.

As the tenant has been operating there for 13 years, we advised them in July last year that the kiosk licence would not automatically be renewed and the site would go to tender.

Their current term expires on 30 June 2024.