Sydney cafe's fears after noise complaint threatens early-morning trade

2KF Espresso has served the pre-dawn crowd in Mona Vale for more than two decades, and the Rempt family has set up their tables and chairs along Bungan Street at 4.40am without an issue.

However, a new neighbour has complained the noise from moving the furniture wakes them up too early.

“I opened the letter and I was shocked, I was really shocked,” Kristy Rempt told 9News Sydney.

Northern Beaches Council is threatening to fine the cafe if they set up outside before 7am.

“We’re an espresso bar, if it’s full of furniture, how can my customers get inside?” Rempt said.

According to the cafe’s development application, the business can operate at any time.

Now the Rempt family is fighting to extend their outdoor dining permit to match.

“It needs to go through the councillors and the CEO and the director, and that can be done very easily,” Northern Beaches councillor Michael Gencher said.

“Council’s got to be practical, not technical. They’ve got to have solutions to problems, not create problems,” Member for Pittwater Rory Amon said.

The Rempt family is turning to the community for help, launching a petition in the hope it will put pressure on the council.

“It’s really scary, because it’s our livelihood, it’s our happy place,” Holly Rempt said. 

“We’ll be here to support them, even if we have to bring our own chairs,” customer Michael Hawkeswood said.