A Sydney restauranteur who previously said the ‘gay community’ was not welcome at his café has hit out at a planned boycott of his new venue, telling angry locals that ‘holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die’.
Mark Da Costa closed his Waterloo cafe Hale and Hearty after blowback following sexist and homophobic comments he made online.
After shutting the café, he spent five years driving Ubers.
‘Those comments made by me were childish to say the least and opinions I do not hold today,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I don’t participate in political matters any more and will only concern myself with providing the locals and Sydney an eatery where they can feel like the food adds value to their own personal health goals.’
Mr Da Costa is opening a new venture on King St at St Peters with the ‘seed oil-free and wholefoods’ venue scheduled to open on March 19.
Sydney’s ‘progressive’ inner-west is not an area likely to tolerate people with a history of LGBT hostility, and some locals have already vowed to boycott the new eatery.
However Mr Da Costa is hoping the locals will forgive his ‘meltdown’ in 2020.
‘For those still holding a grudge, I leave these famous words to ponder,’ he told NewsWire.
‘Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
‘Forgiveness is a powerful tool bestowed only to those willing to fully live life to the fullest.’
Locals hit out on a Newtown community Facebook page.
‘Surely this is a wind-up,’ one commented.
‘Newtown of all places.’
Mr Da Costa’s new venture replaces a much-loved Palestinian eatery, the owners of which cited difficulties with their landlord before closing the café.
In 2020, Mr Da Costa earned the ire of many locals when he used his café’s Facebook page to leave derogatory comments about the LGBTQIA+ community.
‘The leftist vegans aren’t welcome,’ he reportedly wrote on the cafe’s Facebook page.
‘The gay community who were quick to judge even though we supported them during the plebiscite aren’t welcome. We only want free thinking kind people who enjoy plant-based food and nothing else.’
He also asked another man in the comment section of a post: ‘Are you a p**f?’
In a seperate post, Mr Da Costa wrote: ‘Today we announce that we are a (Donald Trump) safe zone. A place to discuss what’s in your heart without prejudice. Hold tight people, freedom of speech will be back.
‘To all our past American friends and guests, stay strong.’
One commenter responded they were ‘underwhelmed’ by a post from the café.
Mr Da Costa replied: ‘Go f*** yourself you narrow minded p***. We are vegan. Not political and you are a loser’.
In a seperate resurfaced video, Mr Da Costa assured viewers he was ‘not going crazy’ and knew ‘exactly what he was doing’.
However, following the closure of his previous eatery, Mr Da Costa launched a fundraising campaign to reopen his café in 2023.
He set a crowdfunding target of $100,000 and reportedly raised just $200.