Support La Capannina: Stop Unfair Lease Termination by the City of Stirling

A long-standing local business employing over 40 people (60+ in peak season) is facing closure due to an unreasonable and disproportionate decision.

La Capannina has been a valued part of the Scarborough community for many years — employing over 40 staff (and over 60 during peak seasons), supporting local suppliers, and serving residents and visitors alike.

Importantly, the owners and the majority of employees live within the City of Stirling community. This is not just a business — it is a local employer, a local investment, and part of the community fabric.

What happened

Recently, a minor water issue was identified at the premises and classified as medium risk.

The business acted immediately and responsibly:

• Qualified contractors were engaged 
• The source of the issue was identified 
• The leak was stopped and rectified 
• Affected areas were opened and prepared for inspection 
  However, despite these actions:

No follow-up inspection was conducted by the City 

• The majority of required remediation works were completed 
• The business repeatedly requested inspection — but received none 
• A termination notice was issued with less than one business day’ notice 
• This occurred over a public holiday period, making response effectively impossible 

This didn’t just make compliance difficult —it made compliance impossible.

Why these matters

For a minor and already rectified issue to result in immediate lease termination —
without inspection, without engagement, and without reasonable notice — raises serious concerns about:

• Procedural fairness 
• Proportionality of government action 
• Accountability in decision-making 

The real impact

This decision has serious consequences for real people:

• 40+ employees impacted (60+ in peak season) 
• Local families facing uncertainty 
• Significant private investment at risk 
• Disruption to customers and the wider Scarborough community 
• Damage to confidence for small businesses operating in the City of Stirling 
   

What we are asking

We are not seeking conflict. We are asking for fairness,transparency, and common sense.

We call on the City of Stirling to:

• Immediately suspend the termination notice 
• Conduct an independent and proper inspection of the premises 
• Provide a reasonable timeframe to complete any remaining work 
  This is bigger than one restaurant

This is about whether small businesses — especially those embedded in the local community — can expect:

• fair treatment 
• reasonable process 
• and accountability from decision-makers

Call to Action

If you believe in supporting local businesses and fair process:

👉 Please sign this petition
👉 Share it with your friends and community

Support La Capannina.
Support local jobs.
Support fairness.