By LIAM DURKIN

COMMUNITY presence will be even stronger at Latrobe Regional Gallery, as the gallery’s café enters a new era.

The café has laid dormant for a couple of years, much to the frustration and equal bemusement of gallery visitors.

However, visitors will soon be able to enjoy local hospitality upon scouring the number of high quality artworks on display.

A new social enterprise has taken on operating the café, and is ready to give locals their coffee fix, along with some delicious delicacies on the side.

It’s back: The Latrobe Regional Gallery café will open once again, with Moe-based not-for-profit Life Skills Victoria overseeing its operations. The group is pictured with Latrobe City councillors at the launch.

‘Mainstreet Café’ will be run by adults with disability and managed by Moe-based not-for-profit Life Skills Victoria.

Life Skills has a similar café in Moe, and knowing the model works, saw the disused gallery café as the perfect location for its next venture.

Life Skills representatives invited Latrobe City councillors and staff to the launch last month.

Latrobe City Mayor Dale Harriman was on hand to congratulate Life Skills, noting the reciprocal benefits the new café will bring to people from all walks of life.

Caffeinated: Latrobe City Mayor Dale Harriman gets his hands on a coffee from the new Latrobe Regional Gallery café alongside Life Skills Victoria Chief Executive Kyle Prasser.

Life Skills Business Development Manager Isaac Copland added that Life Skills participants stood to gain a great deal from working in the café.

“It means so much, not only for their personal goals but their independence as well and their future goals,” he said.

“They are very eager to get in, work, learn new skills and also potentially get employment out of it which is our main goal here.

“It’s going to be an amazing complete package café, a unique experience.”

Mainstreet will be operating as both a training and commercial café, providing dual benefits for participants.

The commercial reality means patronage is also needed in order to stay in business.

“The main objective is to train and upskill adults with disability but also it’s got a commercial aspect to it, where we would like to sell some coffee and food to the community to help us keep afloat as well,” Mr Copland said.

“We would love the community to get behind us and support us.”

Mainstreet Café is set to open in coming days.

Those wishing to help the enterprise can express their interest via: https://www.lifeskillsvic.com.au/mainstreet-cafe