The
push for more hours and more customer convenience can have downsides and SBA
Traders are starting to feel the pinch.
Traders
in String Bean Alley started regular trading on a Thursday from this week. This
is all part of a plan to bring SBA trading in line with the rest of the market.
Tuesday trading is to start later in July, but a number of SBA Traders have
asked for a stay of execution.
The
problem is that while the rest of the Upper Market trades 5 days, individual
Traders can choose whether or not to trade, but in permanent containers there
really isn’t a choice. If SBA is open then all participants are expected to trade.
And
many SBA Traders are unique - they are manufacturing Traders. SBA is an aisle
focusing on small artisan type manufacturing businesses. The problem here is
that manufacturing requires workshop time and Traders can’t be in two places at
once. Five days trading plus a night market doesn’t leave much time for
manufacturing.
Of
course it is possible to staff a container and this was the issue faced in
shopping centres in the past when they went to 7 days trading and were forced
to roster staff. But turning over hundreds of thousands of dollars in a
shopping centre gives you a lot more financial flexibility than most market
traders enjoy, certainly in the Upper Market.
QVM’s
push for more hours is understandable. Customer convenience is a prime driver
in this retail revolution and customers are demanding more access. And of
course QVM earn their income mainly from rent. They would be neglecting their
corporate responsibility if they didn’t look to maximise new rental
opportunities.
So
we have a push for more hours which will increase the pressure on small
manufacturing businesses. At least two manufacturing businesses in SBA do staff
their containers already to create manufacturing flexibility although that is
not necessarily feasible for all Traders.
Thursday
trading is new for SBA and adjoining L Shed. Clearly it will take time to get
the precinct fully populated and operating to maximum potential. Maybe the
answer is to put a hold on the introduction of Tuesday trading until Traders
are able to properly work out what that potential is.
By
Greg Smith.