New mega eatery for Manly: 'Coogee Pavilion' of the north

After more delays than a rain-soaked Test match in England, construction has finally started on the massive northside venue that its chef co-owner hopes will be Manly's equivalent of Coogee Pavilion.

Greg Anderson, the Aria-trained chef and owner of Sails on Lavender Bay, says the yet-to-be-named 400-seat mega eatery and bar sliding into the former site of Shore Club, will open next April. The three-level site has been dogged with delays, not helped by the previous operators attracting the attention of the Public Order Riot Squad after 20 men forced their way into the club and attacked staff.

Anderson says they've battled hard for a rooftop bar and a balcony. Luchetti Krelle has designed the waterfront property. "We want to do for Manly what Justin Hemmes did in Coogee," Anderson says. "After all these delays, if we are ready April 1 we'll wait until the 2nd to open because no one would believe we were really opening."