Community Backs Burns Beach Restaurant in Fight Against Sunday Morning Coffee Ban
Pressure is intensifying on the City of Joondalup to relax trading restrictions that prevent a popular Burns Beach restaurant from serving coffee during early Sunday mornings. Monelli, a family-operated Italian venue, has garnered significant community support in its campaign against what owners describe as impractical regulations.
Thousands Sign Petition for Earlier Sunday Opening
More than 3,100 residents have signed a petition calling for Monelli to be permitted to open its coffee window and alfresco seating area from 7am on Sundays, aligning with its trading hours throughout the rest of the week. Currently, the restaurant faces prohibitions on outdoor services before 9am on Sundays, implemented to mitigate potential noise impacts on neighboring properties.
The restaurant's owners argue these restrictions disregard Perth's vibrant coffee culture and fail to accommodate the area's early-morning lifestyle patterns. They describe the rules as "impractical and discouraging" and note they create difficulties for visitors who wish to access coffee or food without leaving pets unattended.
"Monelli has become an important part of the local community, providing a welcoming space for residents to connect, particularly during weekend mornings," the petition states. "The current restriction preventing service from the coffee window before 9am on Sundays, as well as limiting the use of the alfresco seating area, has significantly impacted both the business and the broader community."
Family Owners Express Frustration with City Restrictions
Eleonora Patrizi, who operates Monelli alongside her parents Ezio Patrizi and Cinzia Di Pio, expressed gratitude for the "overwhelming support" from the community and believes it sends a clear message demanding change. "I really do hope that common sense will prevail, because it's really difficult for local businesses, especially with what's happening in the world right now," Ms Patrizi said.
Located along Beachside Drive, Monelli opened its doors in March 2025. Ms Patrizi revealed the family has felt unsupported by city authorities since their launch, encountering "restriction after restriction" that hampers their ability to fully serve the community.
"We're so grateful to be part of this community, but it's very difficult when we can't actually help them, because the very people who should be giving us the chance to contribute are instead restricting us and limiting our every move," she explained. "My belief is that the city shouldn't be listening to one or two complaints from individuals, which only holds back progress and the community's enjoyment of the area."
Additional Business Challenges Beyond Sunday Hours
Beyond the Sunday morning limitations, Monelli's owners report facing other substantial obstacles imposed by the city, including:
- A $10,000 expense to install sound panels around a rooftop exhaust fan
- Removal of their designated loading bays
- Installation of "no stopping" lines directly in front of the restaurant
Ms Patrizi emphasized their desire to enhance the local area: "We want to help put Burns Beach on the map and give people something to look forward to, and have a place where they can go and feel safe and feel like they're part of a community and feel part of something that is greater than them."
City Cites Noise Regulations as Key Consideration
City of Joondalup acting CEO Nico Claassen stated the municipality continues to work with both the restaurant owners and local residents to balance neighborhood amenity with broader public needs. However, he emphasized that any alteration to Sunday trading hours must demonstrate compliance with noise regulations.
"Monelli's current Sunday morning trading conditions were set based on acoustic modelling submitted by the applicant as part of the approval process," Mr Claassen explained. "That modelling showed the alfresco area was unlikely to meet noise regulations before 9am on Sundays, and that indoor service could only comply if external doors remained closed."
He clarified that any updated acoustic report would need to demonstrate how earlier use of the alfresco area and coffee window could meet noise standards, subject to formal city approval. "At every stage, the café has been advised that the restrictions were imposed based on the acoustic information they themselves provided, and that these conditions could be reconsidered if supported by an updated acoustic assessment."
Restaurant Plans Updated Acoustic Report Submission
Despite multiple meetings with city representatives, Ms Patrizi reported no progress toward resolving the issue. She now hopes the petition will capture municipal attention, and the restaurant plans to submit an updated acoustic report to support their case.
"I feel that the spirit of community will prevail, and I really do hope it does," she said. "We just really wanted to thank everyone for the support that they've given us. It really hasn't gone unnoticed, and from where we're standing, we've felt a lot of love from the community."
The conflict highlights ongoing tensions between local business aspirations and municipal regulatory frameworks in suburban Perth, with community sentiment clearly favoring greater flexibility for this popular beachside establishment.
