Popular Thirroul cafe set to change management – The Illawarra Flame

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In a report to Monday night’s Council meeting, staff are recommending the tender be awarded to NB Kiosk Pty Ltd
One of the most popular cafes in Wollongong’s northern suburbs looks set for a change of management.
Owned by Wollongong City Council at an iconic waterfront location, Thirroul Beach Pavilion Cafe’s long-term lease is due to expire at the end of July.
Earlier this year Council sought tenders “from suitably experienced operators capable of delivering a high-quality food and beverage offering that caters to the diverse needs of the Thirroul Beach users”.
In a report to Monday night’s Council meeting, following evaluation of two compliant tenders, staff are recommending the tender be awarded to NB Kiosk Pty Ltd. It is understood the unsuccessful tenderer is the existing cafe operator.
Late last year, NB Kiosk Pty Ltd was successful in winning a maximum 15-year tender to operate Diggies and the North Beach Kiosk at North Wollongong Beach. Both are currently closed and under repair while work is underway on the extension of the Seawall at North Beach.
The recommendation to Council is that NB Kiosk be offered an initial term of five years, with a five-year option for the lease.
The circumstances for this tender are similar to the Diggies lease. Council’s General Manager, Greg Doyle, has declared business interests outside of Wollongong LGA with the owners of NB Kiosk Pty Ltd.
The report to Council says “considering a declared conflict of interest, the General Manager stepped away from any role or involvement in this matter, including prior to the tender and through the evaluation and reporting of the outcome”.
It appears likely the popular cafe will be closed for several months to coincide with the expected change of management.
The current lease expires on 31 July 2026, and the report says at that time “Council will take back possession of the premises to undertake essential repairs and maintenance. These works are anticipated to take approximately eight weeks to complete, with the new lease proposed to commence on 1 October 2026.”
The business paper with the recommendation for Councillors to agree to a change of management provided no dollar value of the revenue ratepayers would gain as a result of the change. It did say, however, “Walsh and Monaghan were engaged to undertake an independent assessment of the market rental value of the tenancy…to assist the evaluation panel with assessment of tender submissions.”
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