Melbourne chef Guy Grossi has lost it over plans to open a drug injection room opposite his restaurant
Guy Grossi has spoken out against injecting rooms, saying the proposed location could destroy the city and he fears for the safety of his staff and guests.
One of Australia’s most famous restaurants has pleaded not to have safe injecting rooms for drug addicts in direct opposition to its famous food.
Read more: Shocking photos reveal Melbourne suburb where ‘meth and heroin zombies’ roam free – innocent school kids watch as they inject, prod and fight
Guy Grossi’s restaurant Florentino is a respected Melbourne culinary institution, but he fears for the future if the Victorian Government installs injection rooms on the proposed site of the Salvation Army building on Bourke Street.
Mr Grossi said putting the city’s second injection center there would ‘affect my business in a number of ways’.
“Firstly, I am deeply concerned for the safety of my team,” he told Sunrise presenter Matt Shirvington on Tuesday morning.
‘My pastry chefs and bakers come into town early in the morning, so they’re still working on leftovers from the night before.
Melbourne restaurateur Guy Grossi has spoken out against the prospect of a safe drug injection center opposite his central Melbourne restaurant.
‘Our people lock up very late at night. I am concerned for their safety and I am concerned for the reputation of the area and our business.
‘I’m also very, very concerned about the guests who are coming to the restaurant to eat here and what they’re going to see outside.
‘It sure wouldn’t be ideal to sit outside on a nice Melbourne day with a cafe latte or some nice pasta, would it?’
Mr Grossi said Melbourne’s first medically supervised injection room, located just two kilometers from the CBD, had caused ‘chaos’ in the North Richmond area and he feared the second would do the same.
‘It’s a theater district,’ he said.
‘There are restaurants, cafes, shops, young children get off the tram to go to the shops and the theatre, and we believe another injection room across the road will add to the crime problem and bring an unsavory element and inappropriate behavior to the area.’
He urged the state government to protect the ‘integrity of the border’.
Mr Grossi believes an injection center would ‘disrupt’ the city as it includes North Richmond (image of a scene near the North Richmond centre)
‘We feel that having something like this practically in its steps [Victoria’s] Parliament House is not really the right place for this,’ he said.
Mr Grossi and other local businessmen have written an open letter to Daniel Andrews’ Labor government to oppose a city injection room.
‘I think the consideration should be in places where there is little impact on the wider community,’ Mr Grossi said.
‘We need to look after all of society, not just part of it.’
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt also supported their position.
‘They are on their knees when it comes to police resourcing,’ he said.
‘We are experiencing this in the CBD. We have protests almost every week, to keep our communities safe from violent incidents.
Daniel Andrews’ government is deciding on a location for a second safe drug injection room (pictured is the North Richmond room).
‘There are many things to do in the city. When you have tourists, visitors and residents, you don’t need additional drug facilities in your town, which will tie up units for hours.’
The North Richmond Medically Supervised Injection Room became a permanent service earlier this year despite being located near an elementary school and with much community opposition.
The state government is tipped to take a decision on the location of the second injection room next week.