Joel Herat was one the 18 people held hostage in a Lindt Cafe in Sydney in December. Photo / Channel 9
Joel Herat was one the 18 people held hostage in a Lindt Cafe in Sydney in December. Photo / Channel 9
Lindt employee Joel Herat has returned to work today as the cafe reopens its doors just three months after he was held hostage inside the Sydney store along with 17 other people.
The boss of Lindt Australia wants the reopening of the Martin Place cafe in Sydney to be a"happy day" after months of sadness following the fatal siege, adding that counsellors would be on site for staff if needed.
The cafe's doors will reopen to the public at 10am on Friday - around the same time a shotgun-wielding Man Haron Monis ordered the doors locked shut on December 15 last year.
Monis held 18 staff and customers captive for 16 hours before the siege was ended in a hail of gunfire, which claimed his life and the lives of cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson.
NSW Premier Mike Baird visited the café before it officially opened, and spoke with staff. He gave Mr Herat a hug.
"Joel is in there today - I don't any of us could imagine what that would be like and I said to him that the city was very proud of him," Mr Baird told journalists in Martin Place.
"Proud of him being able to be strong in spite of what he went through and that's very clear the thoughts in relation to [victims] Tori [Johnson] and Katrina [Dawson] are strong in there.
"There's a strong sense of comradeship that says we can get through this together, we are stronger together, just as the city has marched forward today."
Two plaques will be unveiled at the store on Friday to commemorate the lives of Mr Johnson and Ms Dawson.
Lindt Australia chief executive Steve Loane said the store reopening came after "three months of sadness".
He said the company was committed to making "today a happy day to celebrate that we're back and we're open with the support of all the staff".
"But really they're in a great mood and they're ready to go, and they really want to welcome customers in," Mr Loane told ABC Radio on Friday.
Regular trading hours begin on Saturday.
Mr Loane said Mr Johnson's plaque contained the image of a sunflower and Ms Dawson's the image of a tree - the symbol of the Katrina Dawson Foundation.
"Let's just make it a really happy day, and hopefully the staff have a great day and by the end of it we're all in a really good place," he said.
