Trouble On
Lygon Street – one of our traders tells us that amongst the first public questions at
Tuesday’s CoM Council meeting was a plea from a Lygon Street retailer for the
city to urgently spend money promoting the strip before more businesses went
broke. Apparently the number of empty shops is rising dramatically.
Box Storage
Debate – this is probably the key issue being discussed under the sheds this
week and last week’s Victraders article drew more than the usual interest. As
one of our management staff pointed out this issue has been on notice for some
time and just last year the size of stalls in RearK/RearL was increased at least partly to allow for boxes
to be stalled within stall boundaries. Meetings will be held after the market on
Thursday 15th and Tuesday 20th February at the Queen St
Engagement Hub for those traders looking for alternatives to storing their
boxes in M Shed. Meanwhile the deadline has been extended. Traders must now vacate
M Shed by Thursday 22nd February.
Not Enough
Interest For Men – a trader reports that one of his male customers (with event
experience) was shopping with his wife and complained that there wasn’t enough
at the QVM Day Market to interest men. He would like to see J Shed populated by
food and drink outlets with things like sports screens so men could comfortably
relax while their wives shopped. He said the alternative was that men would
simply dissuade their wives from coming here.
The Figures
Don’t Add Up – last week we suggested that the money saved on a smaller New
Market Pavilion on Queen St. might be better used putting a roof over String
Bean Alley. It turns out that the smaller NMP is in fact going to cost
significantly more than the original design.
Maybe we should change our recommendation to doing both really quickly
before costs escalate again.
Exhausted -
One of our traders is claiming compensation for exhaustion because by the time
he sets up an extended stall to fill the gaps on a Friday, and then has to run
from one end to the other serving customers he has no energy left to pack-up.
We think he might be exaggerating about chasing after customers.
International
Tourists Dominate – a number of traders have pointed out that in the very quiet
month of February, a very high percentage of those attending the market are
international tourists which is fine if they are your customer base but not so
good if you rely on locals, regional visitors or interstaters. Those groups are
certainly absent.
Is
Investment Wise? – a trader is considering spending multiple thousands of
dollars on improved stall fittings but asks “Will this be a wise investment?”
given current uncertainties. We suggested that was a decision only he could make but perhaps he could ask that question at his One
On One meeting and seek some assurances about his future at QVM.
Entrepreneurial
Car Park – a number of traders have received emails from a Franklin St car park
offering reduced rates ($12 per day with flexible entry times). We assume the
operator obtained email addresses from the trader listings on the QVM website. If you are interested it is CBD Car Park at 58 Franklin St.
COMMENTS:
13/02/2018 07:44:00 J shed and food - "A surprising remark as am shed trader I feel that with the top of f shed being food that would be enough to satisfy the hunger ist the non male shopper that had come for an outing with his partner perhaps a big screen could be erected in the existing area your comments please."
Yes, of course, there are good eating areas already in F Shed and maybe the customer just hadn't got that far. And why not a big screen in F Shed? Thanks for your comment - Ed.