A café in the Woodlea community in Melbourne’s western suburbs has become available for a hospitality business owner to rent the space free of charge for three years, equating to approximately $200,000 in savings.

Woodlea is a fully integrated master-planned community by Victoria Investments and Properties (VIP) and Mirvac, providing homes as well as opportunities including employment, education, retail, commercial and community services.

Located adjacent to adventure park, Aintree Reserve, the indoor/outdoor space and fully operational commercial kitchen will serve the immediate community of over 13,000 residents and save the successful operator $50,000 in rent per annum for the first year, in addition to utility charges including water, gas and electricity. There is also an opportunity for a liquor licence renewal.

The current café space is available until September 2024, where the vendor will then have the opportunity to move into a larger 134 square metre space as part of Woodlea’s new flagship display village – saving $70,000 in rent per annum for another two years.

The new space is centrally located near Woodlea’s public primary and future secondary school, future active open space complete with soccer fields and dog park (set to open next year) and will be attached to a 56 square metre community space, offering additional connected services. There will also be an opportunity to access further space for growing produce or a productive kitchen.

The vendor has the opportunity to collaborate with renowned architectural firm, Craig Tan Architects to inform the design of their dream space, and a top tier branding studio to create a benchmark brand and marketing assets.

Eligible candidates are required to have previous hospitality experience and a track record of running a successful operation.

Woodlea project director, Matthew Dean said the community is excited to welcome a new vendor and believes the unique offering will be a game-changer for the successful business.

“It’s unheard of to receive three years free rent, utilities included, while having access to a thriving community of over 13,000 residents – a number that is set to grow rapidly within the coming years. We’re excited by the opportunity available and strongly believe it will be a catalyst for growth for the successful operator; they have the opportunity to use learnings from previous businesses within Woodlea of what resonates with the community and where the demand lies,” he said.

“We’re open to different business offerings within the food and beverage space whether it’s a cafe, bakery, restaurant – the options are there to be explored. We look forward to aiding our community with key amenities to support their needs and wants.”

For more information or to register expressions of interest, visit https://woodlea.com.au/rent-free/