George and Greg were allowed 30 minutes to present current
issues for traders as part of the Board’s commitment to direct access.
George talked about
three specific areas –
Car
parking – renewal discussions include a commitment to retain at least the
current level of 710 car park spaces and George made a case for also replacing
the lost car park spaces from Therry St., Queen St., and Franklin St. He made
the point that the usual practice with a shopping precinct upgrade involves
more car parking, not less.
Trader
Protection – George asked what trader protection is in place to ensure traders
are not disadvantaged by renewal. He pointed out that “History has shown us
that during renovations traders suffer significant damage” and he asked that
measures be introduced during renewal to ensure growth.
A
QVM Trader On The Board – George suggested that having a trader on the QVM
Board made a lot of sense, particularly during a complex renewal process. He
recognised that issues of “conflict of interest” had been raised in the past
and he stressed that a trader on the Board would only work if it was embraced
by the Board as a measure that could benefit the market.
George’s full presentation can be found here – QVMAC BoardPresentation – George Milonas.
Greg Smith gave a
review of the response from Specialty Traders (General Merchandise) to the
renewal process so far. He talked about the Strengths, Weaknesses,
Priorities and Other Issues related to renewal.
Strengths – Greg said that the
documentation contained in the Draft Master Plan and the Strategic Brief was
comprehensive and wide-ranging. The documents were useful tools for traders to
engage with the renewal project.
Weaknesses – (a) Greg said that the lack of clarity over how a retail
market would integrate with an events space was a major concern for traders. He
pointed out that Melbourne Music Week had created a negative impact on sales
although events like the Tupperware Delegation showed promise.
(b) The other major weakness in renewal was the lack of
detail. Greg maintained that traders needed a clear picture of what was to
happen and a level of detail that enabled a realistic assessment of the impact
on business.
Priorities – Given the above, Greg said
our priority is for detailed discussions as soon as possible.
Other Issues – Greg said that a major
area of concern for traders was how we maintain a comprehensive marketing &
promotions program during the distraction of a renewal.
Greg’s presentation can be found here – QVMAC BoardPresentation – Greg Smith.
Both Trader Representatives received a good hearing at the Board meeting and a useful exchange of questions and answers took place.
