Melbourne St: Push to revitalise struggling North Adelaide strip

IT should be constantly inundated by people who want to enjoy something just a bit different, but Melbourne St has been struggling for years. Could this room spearhead its revival?

CEO Renew Adelaide Tim Boundy in the Banana Room in Melbourne Street, what could be ground zero in the bid to revamp the area. Picture: AAP / Keryn Stevens

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IT is one of the more stylish locations in the city of Adelaide, and should be constantly inundated by people who want to enjoy something just a bit different just minutes away from the CBD.

But despite its stunning scenery, rich history and quirky food offerings, it’s been a rough couple of years for North Adelaide’s Melbourne St — a far cry from its previous hustle and bustle.

But there could be life in the old strip yet, with a plan to take what has been a stain on Melbourne St — its vacant shops — and use it to attract new businesses. A survey of the street two years ago found that one in five shops along the street were vacant.

President of the North Adelaide Precinct Association Morag Horton — who runs the Chemplus on Melbourne St — said that figure is no better today.

“The issue is that the vacancies tend to bring more vacancies because there is not enough to attract people to the area,” she said.

When the Advertiser visited the area, Ms Horton’s words spoke true, with signs notifying that buildings were for rent, for lease or for sale littering the quaint strip of road.

One of them, intriguingly named the Banana Room, firms as ground zero in the effort to revitalise Melbourne St.

Formerly a renowned vintage clothing shop — in fact Australia’s largest vintage emporium at its highest point — the Banana Room is now Renew Adelaide’s first attempt at attracting creative businesses to the area.

CEO Renew Adelaide Tim Boundy outside the Banana Room in Melbourne St. Picture: AAP / Keryn Stevens

Aided by $60,000 from the Adelaide City Council, Renew Adelaide got 25 interested people to look at the Banana Room at a recent inspection day, and has plans for other vacant shopfronts on Melbourne St.

As with its facilitation of retail start-ups in Regent Arcade, Renew Adelaide offers 30-day, rent-free, rolling lease models to activate abandoned buildings and get complimentary businesses in areas that need urban revitalisation.

Already a development application to change the use of the Banana Room to a fitness studio has been lodged with the council and Renew Adelaide CEO Tim Boundy said it was important the right use was found for the old buildings.

“There are so many quirky little cafes and restaurants here and that is a real strength of Melbourne St, so we want to bring something here that can add to it,” he said.

The councillor who moved the motion to get Renew Adelaide to expand its work into Melbourne St, North Ward councillor Phillip Martin, said it could be the turning point for the area.

“Anything that we can do to increase foot traffic in the Melbourne St area can only help,” he said. “We can’t let Melbourne St die.”