Twelve more
containers are coming to String Bean Alley and for many that is good news but there
are now concerns about the impact on the adjoining L Shed trading area.
Ten of the
new containers will be positioned on the north side of SBA backing into L Shed.
Perhaps the photo of the back of the new Visitor Centre container best
illustrates the concerns. Firstly there is the unattractive steel wall and
secondly the depth of the stall space left in L Shed.
The sterile
steel wall will be less obvious with gaps in between containers (the Visitor
Centre container is the longest in the aisle) and there is a suggestion that it
could be further relieved with see-through, glass-walled containers. It should be noted that glass walls may restrict stock display options.
The space
left for trading on the south side of L Shed is considered by many to be inadequate
with one trader saying he will not be able to conduct business in his resized
stall. Narrow stalls do exist in the Upper market but they are usually on walkways
where increased traffic flow supports the size restriction for certain market businesses. Providing more narrow stalls in a standard trading aisle will
result in empty trading spaces according to some traders as prospective tenants
look for larger alternatives.
Some traders
on the north side of L Shed fear they will be facing empty stalls and blank
steel walls which will almost certainly be harmful for business.
Are these
reasonable concerns? Have strategies already been worked out to address these
types of issues? Do the containers in SBA need to be set so far back? Are
glassed wall containers economically feasible?