Colonising the bay

There's change afoot over at that peculiar pocket of cool centred around Fennel Street. The Salford Lads Club has morphed into the Merchants of Port and, perhaps capitalising on the demise of Matilda Bay, now offers craft beer in addition to the usual cafe fayre.

However movement was today also spotted at the former Cadburys factory, following exciting reports that the brewery is to be revived by a bona fide Western Australian craft brewer in the shape of the Margaret River's Colonial Brewing Co.

Hardcore

The heatwave subsided just in time for the unlikely sight of ten punk rock bands strutting their stuff in a cordoned-off back street of Port Melbourne. The combined organisation skills (and budgets) of Globe, Matilda Bay and the Salford Lads Club meant that the Port Royal street party displayed scant evidence of its inaugural status.

Making the most of the industrial setting, the bars and eateries set themselves up against the loading bay doors, as skateboarding ticket holders relaxed on pallets. Hitting the stage in order were Ausmuteants, The Spinning Rooms, Bits of Shit, Batpiss, Drunk Mums, Straight Arrows (pictured), Harmony, The Murlocs, The Meanies and Cosmic Psychos.

It was a champion effort all round, and hopefully one to be repeated next year, although I do have a couple of suggestions; 1) it would be good, for locals in particular, if the Draconian pass-out policy could be relaxed a fraction, 2) Matilda Bay really could do better than to offer Fat Yak (which is actually brewed 600km away in Hobart) as one of only two of their splendid beer selection.

Port Royal

Against the odds, the pocket of hipster heaven that bizarrely centres on an industrial service road around the back of Bunnings, continues to grow in confidence. Now home to the Salford Lads Club, Globe/Stussy/Obey and Uncle Rocco's Barber Shop, Fennel Street will very soon be hosting its inaugraul Port Royal street party come punk rock music festival.

Tickets are priced at $56.10 (including booking fees), which isn't as good value as Port Melbourne's previous street festival, but then that wasn't an 18+ event with beers and cider provided by neighbours Matilda Bay; who have themselves being getting bigger and better, with one of their loading bays now converted into a cosy dining area reminiscent of Little Rose. And helping to entice our North of the river friends out of their comfort zone will be Collingwood's renowned Huxtaburger who are sharing the catering duties.

Tiny slice of Manchester

Arriving fashionably late to review a darling of the Melbourne cafe press, here finally we have the Salford Lads Club. It has the warehouse chic, the Google provoking name, the random push bikes and the slightly aloof staff you'd expect from urban coffee junkees ... and it's in Port Melbourne! Well sort of.

It could now be argued that Bridge Street is the place to be for hip cafes, as technically "the club" shares it with both My Sister Says and Balderdash, however tucked as it is behind Bunnings, it's off the map and at least a (brisk) fifteen minute walk away from pretty much anything.

It likely wouldn't still be there if it didn't deliver a top notch espresso, but it's the food that really sets it apart. Although there is a small display cabinet for pides and the like, as its placement in both Cheap Eats and the Good Food Guide atests, the daily lunch specials are where it's at, with interesting restaurant quality dishes at pretty much cafe prices. It's well worth both the trip and inevitable initial akwardness as you first get accustomed to the set up.

Oh and for the record, the Queen is not dead and the original lad's club is approaching its hundredth birthday, and still going strong...