Jetty part of SW cafe plan

Pieces of Busselton's jetty will feature in the renovated Equinox cafe, with work beginning on the project this week.

Owner Peter Gordon plans to push the restaurant out and move the main entrance to the west side of the building, with other upgrades to demolish the public toilets and create an alfresco dining area which can be used year-round.

Mr Gordon said the takeaway part of the restaurant would also be expanded as part of the long-planned renovations.

He said metal pylons would be clad in timber recycled from the jetty, and as the building was a public building leased to the business, a proportion of the work would be dedicated to public art.

"Where we've had to use structural beams … that steel beam's going to look like a wooden beam," he said.

A mural depicting the history of the area will feature as part of the renovations and Mr Gordon said there would be an opportunity for local artists to get involved.

Because the building was a leasehold property, Mr Gordon said banks couldn't provide a high percentage of funding for the works.

Money instead was sourced through Bartercard, a system under which the company provides funds with no interest save for an initial fee which is repaid through sales to Bartercard members. The renovation is the biggest Bartercard has funded in the South West.

South West regional manager Darryl Toreaux said work went to local tradespeople and promoted tourism in the region through its members.

"We're just trying to build an economy with the local trades to keep it as local as possible," he said.

Mr Gordon said the café would stay open during renovations, except for a week in October.