FOOD will hit Fingal Bay surf club again from tomorrow.
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New operators David Pollard and Kylie Phillips will open Saltwater Fingal Bay at the iconic surf club on Saturday following a council-run expressions of interest call on behalf of Fingal Bay surf life saving club.
Fairfax Media reported in June last year that a lease dispute had closed the club’s restaurant Ocean View after nearly four years.
Port Stephens Council contract and services coordinator Ian Crawford lauded the result. "We’ve searched far and wide for top quality restauranteurs to lease the vacant restaurant at Fingal Beach SLSC, and I’m ecstatic to say we found the best people for the job locally,” Mr Crawford said.
"David and Kylie moved to the Tomaree Peninsula in 2011 and were operating the Salamander Tavern Bistro and the Anna Bay Tavern.
“With 44 years of experience in restaurants and hotels between them, including restaurants like Rockpool and Opera Bar, we think that they’ve got the knowledge and the vision to make Saltwater Fingal Bay a very special place for locals and visitors.”
Mr Pollard said the restaurant would have a modern Australian menu geared towards pleasing both locals and visitors. “Most importantly, we’re focused on serving quality fresh food that is affordable and tastes great,” he said. “We’re also excited to offer functions in this beautiful space with panoramic views of the coast.”
Fingal Beach surf club’s director of business services Gary Fleming said the club was “extremely happy” with the end result. “Due diligence has been done and we believe we’ve found an operator that the whole community can get behind,” he said. “We should be creating opportunities, not waiting for them to come to us.”