Hugo’s at Manly Wharf is seeking to expand its outdoor seating area.

The popular pizza restaurant has submitted a proposal to add exterior seating at its southern end, and to increase its outdoor deck area.

The southern seating would consist of moveable tables on the wharf walkway opposite the ferry buffers, as pictured below. While Hugo’s says the extra seating is acceptable as “a walkway of 2.4m will be maintained” this is unlikely to take into account waiters moving around or customers chatting and clustering around a table.

The other part of the proposal is to physical extend the wharf decking, both for the restaurant’s outdoor eating area on the western side of the wharf, and for a small part of the adjacent public area. The capacity of Hugo’s outdoor deck would double from 40 to 80. The work would require installing three structural piles for the extra decking and repairing two more.

The proposed work is costed at $320,000. Hugo’s has recently completed a separate $1M interior work, including a refit of its kitchen and storage areas.

For more details and to make a comment on the DA: DA2020/0962 or google Northern Beaches Council Property Search and enter DA2020/0962.

EDITOR’S COMMENT: This, in our opinion, is an overdevelopment. The extension of the western side of the wharf into Manly Cove and the reduction of the width of the public walkway on the southern side are a substantial reduction of the public space.

We already have restricted public access to the wharf due to development running the length of the western walkway, while on the eastern side the public run the gauntlet through the wharf bar and the wharf hotel. On both sides staff and customers cross the public access areas, while inside, shops and cafes clutter access ways through the centre of the wharf.

What is the real benefit with this DA ? Is it a grab for more rental from the wharf lease management? Is it more revenue to Transport NSW through an unnecessary expansion of the wharf over seagrass areas and the nest area of fairy penguins? Or, is it simply giving the public what they want - more licensed restaurants, albeit without extra parking or transport infrastructure. And for locals, more potential for anti-social behaviour and noise. Where does it end?