Latest news with #TonyMakhoul
CBC
06-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Glass half-full: Bedford highway beer garden reopens at reduced capacity
Social Sharing A new beer garden on the Bedford Highway has reopened after having to close temporarily for failing to meet parking regulations. The Bedford Beer Garden initially opened for a weekend in late June. But it closed when the Halifax Regional Municipality determined it didn't have enough parking spaces. The beer garden, located in a largely empty gravel lot along the highway, has been reduced in size by 100 square feet in order to require fewer parking spaces under its municipal permit. "We had to compromise, find that middle ground," said co-owner Tony Makhoul. The outdoor bar reopened on Friday to a large turnout, Makhoul said, and he's expecting a busy summer after several "ups and downs" while trying to open. He said he's optimistic he'll be able to continue to work with the regional municipality to fully open the beer garden. But he also believes the municipality can help by removing barriers for businesses outside the downtown core. "Downtown is completely exempt from the same rules we were held to here when it comes to parking and other things," he said. There aren't many beer gardens outside of downtown Halifax. With areas like Bedford growing in population, people would prefer to have the same amenities, Makhoul said. Rules are different for a reason Jean St-Amand, the councillor for Bedford-Wentworth, said he's pleased the business and municipality were able to reach a compromise. St-Amand said he's open to asking municipal staff to consider changes to municipal bylaws, but the rules are different in the suburbs because people still rely more on personal vehicles to get around. "There are some [people] in Bedford that will readily walk to a beer garden, but I went down to the beer garden on Friday to check it out on its opening day and the parking lot was absolutely jammed," he said. Regional council wants residents to be less dependent on vehicles throughout the municipality. But it takes time to improve the public transit system and build infrastructure, St-Amand said. "That's something that we can't see change overnight," he said.
CBC
20-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Bedford beer garden on hold due to lack of parking
Social Sharing After several months of construction and a single weekend of slinging pints, a new beer garden along the Bedford Highway has had to shut off its taps indefinitely after failing to meet permit requirements. Tony Makhoul, co-owner of the Bedford Beer Garden, said the business obtained a special occasion licence for its opening this past weekend, which he described as a success. But a Halifax Regional Municipality bylaw states the beer garden — located in a largely empty gravel lot along the highway — doesn't have enough parking for the number of seats at the location to continue to operate. "It's been a process," said Makhoul. "Over four weeks, I'd say, we've been going back and forth with the city, reconfiguring the site plan to accommodate more parking spaces or enough parking spaces to accommodate the seating." He said according to HRM standards, only about five parking spaces can be created around the 80-seat beer garden, well shy of the required 20 spots. It was Makhoul's understanding that certain building permits were only needed if the business was permanent in a space, which the beer garden is not, he said. Initial visits from municipal staff back in March first brought up concerns about a site survey and property lines. He added it was only in the last six weeks or so, after several site changes, that staff flagged parking as an issue. He estimates that around 90 per cent of the people who attended the opening weekend took alternative means of transportation, including walking and public transit, and he's not sure why the city is pressing the parking issue. Makhoul took to social media Wednesday in response to the latest rejection to ask that residents reach out to the local councillor to voice their support for the business. Councillor response Jean St-Amand, the councillor for Bedford-Wentworth, told reporters Thursday that he's received a number of messages since Makhoul's call to action asking what the Bedford Beer Garden can do to continue operating. "I had a nice meeting with [the owners] myself just to better understand what their setup was and what they were looking to be to the community," St-Amand said. The councillor's understanding is that the problem is with the proportion of parking spaces relative to the square footage the beer garden occupies, he said, and that there's not enough of an entry and exit point for people who have parked their vehicles. St-Amand said his hands are tied. The solution will likely come with reducing the square footage of the beer garden, he said. "It's a delicate balance because they'd be giving up space in order to make room for parking spaces," St-Amand added. Municipal response In an email, HRM spokesperson Brynn Budden said it's up to the business owner to show a beer garden meets requirements, including providing off-street parking in accordance with the land-use bylaw. Makhoul said the business has has asked about using a parking lot across the street after office hours and on the weekend. He said the parking bylaw states that offsite parking, along with street parking and proximity to transit stops, can be used to decrease the number of onsite parking spots needed for a business.
Global News
06-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
Suds and suburbs: Beer gardens aren't just popping up in downtown Halifax anymore
With the warm weather comes patio season, as more people are flocking to beer gardens throughout the city. But the concept is expanding beyond the downtown, as Halifax's suburbs are warming up to the idea. Tony Makhoul says he wanted to bring the amenities of downtown Halifax to Bedford, and has spent the last few months building a beer garden overlooking the Bedford Basin. The plan is to open next week. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Literally hundreds of people have stopped by as we've been building and asking questions and excited that they don't have to travel downtown,' he said. 'They just like to have something in their own community they can come to and they'll be able to enjoy the things they can enjoy downtown but in their own neighbourhood.' Story continues below advertisement Meanwhile, Great Roads Brewing in Lower Sackville has noticed the success of beer gardens in downtown Halifax, and craft brewers like them are looking to expand. 'The beer garden is a very seasonal thing, especially here in Halifax, so you will see them pop up in the summer. The success of the ones downtown, it makes sense they're coming out this way,' said Robert Truscott with Great Roads Brewing. He says big names in the craft beer space are growing their presence in the area, with another beer garden expected to open in Middle Sackville. For more on this story, watch the video above.
