The Lindt cafe in Sydney's Martin Place will reopen this morning, three months after the siege that claimed the lives of two hostages.
Photo: AFP
On December 15, gunman Man Haron Monis took 17 people hostage in the Lindt cafe, sparking a 16-hour stand-off with police.
Tori Johnson, the 34-year-old cafe manager, and 38-year-old barrister Katrina Dawson were killed, along with Monis.
Doors to the cafe with reopen at 10:00am (local time) today and standard trading hours will resume tomorrow.
Thousands of people laid flowers near the Martin Place cafe Photo: AAP
In a statement released on Tuesday, Lindt Australia chief executive Steve Loane said the decision to reopen the cafe was made after consulting staff.
He said they were very positive and supported the move.
"Overwhelmingly, the feeling was that reopening and moving forward is the best thing to do for everyone affected," he said.
A plaque dedicated to Mr Johnson and Mrs Dawson has been installed inside the cafe as a permanent memorial.
Members of the public lay flowers near the Lindt chocolate cafe. Photo: AAP
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird will arrive ahead of the reopening, to meet staff at the cafe.
Mr Loane has thanked the public for what he said had been an outpouring of support since the siege.
"This has been an extremely difficult period for so many people impacted by those tragic events," he said.
He also asked that the staff's personal privacy be respected as they go back to the job they love.
The cafe was badly damaged when police stormed the building just after 2:00am on December 16.
Significant construction work has been done to restore the cafe.
-ABC
Hostages run out of the a cafe in the central business district of Sydney. Photo: AFP
Sydney siege Photo: Channel Seven
