Cape Town - The extensions made by the owner of the popular Kalk Bay restaurant and pub, the Brass Bell, are “elitist”, “beautiful” and “frustrating”.
These were among the diverse views expressed by members of the public during a visit on Sunday.
Fish Hoek resident Liesl Venter said although she thought the extensions were “beautiful and lovely”, they set a precedent for further exploitation. “If you allow one person with money to do that, then anyone can do the same and open up businesses along the beachfront,” she said
Venter, who was sitting outside the controversial enclosure eating ice cream with her family, said she particularly objected to the exclusivity of the area after the extensions were done.
“(The pools) allowed people without money to enjoy their Sunday afternoon in a really nice spot. Now they can’t - now it’s just another elitist spot for people with money,” she said.
Opposite the road at the Ice Cream Café, a manager, Cassie Boshoff, said she couldn’t understand why there were complaints.
“It’s making more money for the community. Children can go play there, visitors can go eat there, and it’s all in the sun. For the council to come and say that they (the Brass Bell) can’t is ridiculous. Anyone who objects to it must be crazy.”
Referring to the controversy over a doorway that offers access to Main Road from the beachfront, Boshoff said that the door was locked only between 2am and 6am, when the area would otherwise be deserted.
But a Muizenberg resident, Caroline Daries, visiting the beach with her sister, said that on Friday the door had been locked from as early as 7pm.
“I am so disgusted - I don’t want to swear - 2am to 6am, that’s a lie. It’s very frustrating, my dear, we cannot use the place.” Daries described the pools as a social spot for many in the community.
“Over the festive season it was very, very busy. Now the children see the buildings and they back off, they don’t want to go there any more,” she said. “It feels like the community is being pushed out.”
Tony Prime, who used to fish near the pools’ edge, said he felt there were negatives and positives.
“It’s beautiful, it’s nice, it’s a nice place to relax and it looks a whole lot better than it used to, but when we come through there we feel like we’re invading their space.”
Cape Times