The building which was home to Cafe 3.nineteen, and before that Soul N Pepper, is no more as demolition workers crunched through tonnes of metal and timber yesterday.

The structure, which until recently also housed Gary Hunt's Hunt Design and Synergy Reef Sailing, will give way to a grassed area until such time funds can be found for the floundering Port Douglas Waterfront project.

Cairns Regional Council approved the demolition despite emotional pleas from many locals and visitors who were particularly fond of Cafe 3.nineteen.

The cafe's owner Mark Burnett was unsuccessful in his attempts to extend his occupancy, with Acting Council CEO Peter Tabulo explaining the demolition "...will enable Council to be ready to  commence any future works as a priority without the constraints of having to deal with extinguishments of leases and the demolition works should the buildings and tenants be left within the proposed parkland areas."

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