Who they are:
Mr. Banks Brewery – (named after owner Chris’ Labrador) is a craft brewery based in Seaford, Melbourne with a reputation for producing some of the finest small-batch beers in the ever-burgeoning craft beer market.
What they do:
The name of the business speaks for itself – they’re a brewery and they brew beer. Bloody good beer at that. They also open their cellar door bar to the public on weekends which comprises 20% of their overall business.
Why they’re different:
Whilst they have a delicious core range of beers, it’s their continuous rollout of new beers with their unique take on popular styles that builds anticipation amongst craft beer lovers. It’s not a matter of searching for a better beer, they’re all great. It’s the desire of Mr. Banks to push the boundaries and see what different flavours can be obtained from experimenting with new ingredients, whilst adhering to fundamental brewing principals.
Roadblocks:
- The local Council continually knocked back Mr. Banks’ applications to increase the patron numbers and hours of operation legally allowed at brewery.
- With the brewery’s increasing popularity, and with the venue’s great setup, Mr. Banks was unsurprisingly a very popular location for locals and visitors coming from afar. Mr. Banks Brewery was forced to turn patrons away, which included busloads of people on Wine & Beer tours of the Mornington Peninsula.
- The Council’s reasons for rejecting the increases were based around the location of the brewery, in a Court, parking and the proximity of public transport.
Impact:
Matt, being a craft beer enthusiast, began visiting the brewery with his partner (and of course, dogs) after moving to the area. Not long thereafter, Matt befriended Chris and RBK Legal was subsequently engaged by Mr. Banks Brewery to act in an application to VCAT regarding the Council’s recent rejection. Matt diligently researched the matter and found VCAT cases in different Councils in Victoria which supported Mr. Banks’ application and was able to successfully represent Mr. Banks in obtaining the increase to the hours and patron numbers.
In an ongoing relationship, RBK Legal advises Mr. Banks in various commercial matters (as well as taste-testing many of Mr. Banks’ brews).
