The Real Diner

[BigDutchFan]

I just started watching the old H&A episodes on Youtube, and I love them.

I have a question, what changes has the diner made because if you watch like episode 4000 something the diner looks different than in episode 700.

If you know how/who/when that would be great!

[beau_t]

I just started watching the old H&A episodes on youtube,

and i love them.

i have a question, what changes has the diner made because if you watch like episode 4000 someting the diner looks different than in episode 700.

if you know how/who/when that would be great!

The Bayside Diner in the classic H&A episodes appears pretty much unchanged until approx 1995 when much of the blue paintwork is replaced with cream and the swivel stools at the counter are replaced with ordinary ones (and a door appears in the wall leading to Marilyn's beauty salon). In 1998 the diner is given a complete makeover with a blue/red theme. In late 2000 there is a fire there and the diner is moved to a new location with more of a beach hut look, and it becomes The Beachside Diner, where it stays until early 2008 when the building starts to collapse. At this point it moves again to the pier and becomes the Pier Diner. It tries to become more upmarket and "restaurant" like, with a seperate section of the building for teenagers to hang out called "The Den". After a few months this change is declared unsuccessful and the restuarant side closes and moves in with "The Den" to become more of a normal but unrealistic looking Diner again. In early 2010 there is a fire and the whole Diner is rennovated into the Diner that is currently shown in Australian episodes and is by far the most realistic of the lot!

[Dan F]

There have been 3 separate diners locations which you can see here, with the Bayside and Pier Diners both having had makeovers in their time on screen:

Bayside Diner (1989-2000)

Beachside Diner (2000-2008)

Pier Diner (2008-Present)

As regards interiors:

Bayside Diner:

Beachside Diner:

And you can see some pics of the Pier Diner makeovers at the bottom of this article

[BigDutchFan]

Thanks ;) And about some other shops, (I´ve only heard names) bait shop, bottle shop general store.

Alf was owner of them right? Why did they go away? Or did they burn down as well..

[Dan F]

When the show first started, Ailsa owned the General Store and Alf had a small bait shop down on the wharf named Stewart Supplies. Around the time Ailsa opened the Bayside Diner with Bobby in 1989, she sold the general store to Celia. It wasn't long before it was burnt down by Dodge, and Alf and Celia then joined forces to open the Stewart Store (a mini-supermarket type place). In 1991 (eps which have recently aired on 7TWO) Alf came into financial difficulty and he and Ailsa ended up downsizing to a smaller store, which they remained in until it was destroyed in the 1996 earthquake.

Alf did have another bait shop in the late 90's (which you can see in the 3rd pic on the Beachside Diner location page) where he took on Jesse as a business partner but I don't remember too many specifics about that - pretty sure it was yet another one that burnt down though. Finally in recent years he's also had the small bait shop/boat hire place that's attached to the Pier Diner.

I'm sure someone will correct any of the finer details, that's just off the top of my head.

[BigDutchFan]

Thank you! That probably answers all my questions!

[Inactive User]

I have a question...

What happened to the Den that was in the Pier Diner? I remember it was closed down or something like that....

[beau_t]

I have a question...

What happened to the Den that was in the Pier Diner? I remember it was closed down or something like that....

As I said in my post further up, the Pier Diner Restuarant/Den wasn't a successful enterprise so the restaurant part of the building was closed up, and the Diner was moved into where the Den was.

[Inactive User]

I have a question...

What happened to the Den that was in the Pier Diner? I remember it was closed down or something like that....

As I said in my post further up, the Pier Diner Restuarant/Den wasn't a successful enterprise so the restaurant part of the building was closed up, and the Diner was moved into where the Den was.

Oh I see. Now I understand. But thanks for answering my question, beau_t

[cadyctslover]

At this point it moves again to the pier and becomes the Pier Diner. It tries to become more upmarket and "restaurant" like, with a seperate section of the building for teenagers to hang out called "The Den". After a few months this change is declared unsuccessful and the restuarant side closes and moves in with "The Den" to become more of a normal but unrealistic looking Diner again.

I've always wondered what was going on behind the scenes during this period. I can't see any reason why they would go to the expense of creating the large Pier Diner/Den set just to throw half of it away a few months down the line. I wonder whether the production team felt that a large set consisting of two very similar businesses was a waste of studio space? Or perhaps there was some other difficulty filming inside such a large set? I wonder this because from 2010 they returned to the idea of having a diner set and a restaurant set.

The new Pier Diner (2008-2010) is probably one of the worst sets I have ever seen in Home and Away, in terms of being a plausible, real location. The Pier Diner from 2010 onwards however is one of the best, most realistic sets I've ever seen. I hope it retains its current form for a long while to come.