Tears and cheers

By Bridget Brady
BRETT Glover is toasting to the future.
His Clyde business has been saved with the granting of a ministerial exemption to have a restaurant at his Manks Road winery.
Mr Glover, 41, sat down and cried with joy for 10 minutes last week when he received a call from Planning Minister Justin Madden’s office informing him of the exemption.
“The way it was going I’d lose everything. That’s how important the ruling was,” Mr Glover said.
The land was classified as rural, which permitted a restaurant to operate(with planning approval) when he moved to the property in 2003.
He acquired then transported establised vines from the Yarra Valley and started La Fontaine Estate winery in 2003.
Months later the land was rezoned to Green Wedge, which prohibited a restaurant from operating.
In 2007 City of Casey granted a permit for a winery to operate on the premises.
Mr Glover said LaFontaine Winery had been closed for six weeks and he was forced to sack 10 staff members because he could not cope financially.
“My father passed away and the winery was closed. It has been a nightmare. Life was pretty hard so it has turned all of that around.”
City of Casey supported La Fontaine Estate, the only winery in Casey, in its application to the State Government for an exemption to run a business in a Green Wedge zone.
With the government exemption he now hopes the business will be opened again in November.
Mr Glover is now able to lodge planning applications to council to run a restaurant.
Cranbourne MP Jude Perera supported Mr Glover in his endeavours to gain an exemption and said it was important to maintain local jobs.
“I welcome the minister’s decision to grant an exemption to ensure the ongoing viability of this thriving family-run business,” Mr Perera said.
“La Fontaine Estate winery is a great example of a business providing real benefits to the community it serves and in supporting tourism in Victoria.”
Mr Glover said the exemption meant he could follow through with his plans to develop the winery.
He said a Sydney businessman has offered to invest $1 million in the winery to help the business.
Mr Glover said he wanted to gain a liquor licence for the restaurant to host weddings and functions, build state-of-the-art sparkling wine-making facilities and possibly look into brewing beer.
Mr Glover said Cranbourne bank manager Noel Ridler stepped in and saved the business during recent tough times.
“If it wasn’t for him there would be no Brett Glover.”
Mr Glover said he hoped to re-hire some staff he laid off and that redevelopment could create 10 to 15 jobs in Casey.
“This decision is massive. I don’t want to be talking to people in 12 months time who don’t know there is a winery in Casey.”