We have received a number of comments from traders (or maybe one or two very active traders) on issues raised over the last week. Here they are -
26/06/2014 17:59:11 Marketing Department "I would like to see the marketing department actually market the ""DAY MARKET"".
In todays Herald Sun (Thursday June 28th 2014) there was a lift out from the CITY OF MELBOURNE.
It had all of these wonderful things to do in the City of Melbourne over the Winter Months.
It has a whole section dedicated to the markets taking place.
Mentioned where the following: ""New Craft"" market in ""A"" shed twice during the winter period
Luna Night Market running July & August on Wed nights.
BUT...... where is the mention of the QVM DAY MARKET.......... thats right no mention we are open 5 days a week, and a great to shop for winter items to rug up and stay warm.
WHY? that is my question....... Why does the DAY MARKET, which generates the lump sum of income for the QVM to pay the MARKETING DEPARTMENTS WAGES not get a mention in an publication that is available all over the state.
ONCE AGAIN THE DAY MARKET HAS BEEN LET DOWN."
26/06/2014 18:07:55 Dairy Hall Rents "With the talk of huge rent increases in the dairy hall, can anyone answer a very simple question for me please. How do the proposed new rents measure up against the rents of other areas of the market?
In this l mean, are they going to be significantly higher or more in-line with the rents paid by other areas of the market:
Meat & Fish Hall - Higher or lower or the about the same
Food Court - Higher or lower or the about the same
Victoria Street Shops - Higher or lower or the about the same
"F" Shed Shops - Higher or lower or the about the same
General Market Stall rents - Higher or lower or the about the same
This may make it easier for all of us to understand how these proposed rent increases will look in comparison to other areas of the market."
26/06/2014 18:26:07 QVM Petition "There are a large number of traders against the redevelopment of the QVM. This is fact, and something that the Traders Reps need to understand, along with the Management, State Govt and CoM.
There will always be people against change, no matter what you do. I for one, am against the redevelopment, based on the very little information that has been supplied by management, as to the potential changes, and how we the traders will be affected during the construction phase. It feels as though management is not taking trader concerns seriously, when we say that we are concerned for our businesses and for our own lively hoods.
For a very large majority of traders at the QVM, this is how we make a living, and we pay our bills. We do not have another source of income, and when you start to play around with peoples lively hoods, it gets emotional, and this needs to be addressed.
A lot of the issues l feel are coming from the fact, that there are so many rumours floating about, and no one is really stopping them or saying this is not going to happen, or this is going to happen...... And l know, the management line is, we can't say, as we don't know yet, well I'm sorry, but you need to do better than that. If there is any information, regardless of what it is, it should be provided to traders, so they are getting a better understanding of what is happening and how it affects them. I am for a redevelopment, but l think the main thing is to bring us into the current century first, before we start to worry about major construction works. Lets get power to all stalls Lets get lighting that actually works to light an entire stall, not just the 6 feet directly below the new lights installed lets get some weather protection happening - Tuesday was a prime example - gale force winds, so traders packed up and left early, because it was to dangerous to stay set up, and this in return say an empty market for those customers brave enough to visit
Trading hours - these need to reflect current market trends - not those from 20 years ago, when we last looked at them to extended saturday trading to 3pm Shuttle buses from the surrounding car parks, would help to reduce some of the parking stresses All QVM PTY LTD, Security, Stall Holders to to no longer park in the QVM car park, as this will increase parking by probably 100 spaces a day. Parking validation System, to stop City Workers just parking there cause they can get cheap VOUCHER parking Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, but never actually visit the market and spend any money
The only PROBLEM with all of the above....... IT DOESNT MEET THE CoM agenda, to change Franklin Street, and sell of the land to make more MONEY..... at the end of the day its all about the money"
26/06/2014 18:31:17 Serious Question about the QVM Petition "I am not sure why the TIMING, or the INTENT are concerns. It is pretty straight forward really. The intent is to stop the redevelopment of the QVM - the proposed changes will hurt traders income, and potentially send a lot of business broke The timing is simple, with a State Election due in a few months, it makes sense to put a case forward, that traders and visitors are concerned for the markets future. There are huge number of traders and visitors concerned by this redevelopment, and do not want it to happen."
27/06/2014 07:52:38 Traders Comments "I think we need to seperate the renewal from the impact of the renewal. QVM needs renewal to make us more relevant to today's customers. Do we seriously want to continue the business levels of the last decade. But the impact of construction on traders is just too frightening. We need assurances that we will be looked after. Maybe a guaranteed extra $2m per year on marketing the market during construction, free rent for D and E shed traders during construction and half rent for the rest of the top end and maybe the food court."
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