The owner of the Salt House and Dockyard restaurant in downtown St. John’s is scratching his head after the outdoor portion of his restaurant was shut down by the city over the weekend.
Vic Lawlor owns the Salt House restaurant on Water Street, and the Dockyard, a small courtyard on the back of the restaurant in the parking lot on Harbour Drive, near the Neal Building, which Lawlor also owns.
Lawlor says he spoke with city inspectors two-and-a-half months ago regarding regulations for the Dockyard, and complied. Now he says they’ve received an email from the city saying he was within 150 meters of a residential area and needed to apply for discretionary use, meaning he had to fill out an application and give it to homeowners in the area.
He can’t understand why, as the city says the implication is with Cathedral Steet. Lawlor says it’s impossible for the Dockyard to be in a residential area.
Lawlor says aerial distance from the closest house on Cathedral Street to the Dockyard was approximately 224 meters.
Lawlor says the sad thing is everyone talks about promoting local business and the downtown, but the process takes too long. He says he doesn’t know if they don’t want to promote, or just want to drag things out, but he says either way it isn’t good for anyone.
The City is expected to respond today.