Grundy’s Shoes Jetty Rd owner Tom Whittenbury slams Holdfast Bay council over parking fines

A Jetty Rd business owner has been left dismayed by a council move he has labelled as the final straw for battling retailers.

A Glenelg business owner has slammed the Holdfast Bay council for its lack of compassion as traders fight to survive on the state’s premier beachside retail strip.

Traders have plunged into debt and face closure as construction works on Jetty Rd slash profits by up to 60 per cent at some businesses.

The distribution is part of a $40m Jetty Rd upgrade to create an entry statement at the Brighton Rd end, new traffic lights, pavers, footpaths and road surface while creating a new shared zone with pedestrians.

Roadworks on Jetty Rd at Glenelg have been a nightmare for traders. Picture: Dean Martin

Businesses have been left significantly out of pocket by a reduction in trade. Picture: Emma Brasier

In a letter to the editor in The Advertiser, Grundy’s Shoes general manager Tom Whittenbury said he was slapped with a parking fine by the City of Holdfast Bay after he was forced to use a car park at the back of his store to unload stock.

He said the council knocked back his plea for leniency and he was issued even further fines; a bitter pill to swallow as access to his storefront was taken away due to the works.

“I don’t dispute the facts – I overstayed,” he said.

“But I had hoped that, given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the ongoing construction chaos on Jetty Rd, the City of Holdfast Bay might show some understanding. Instead, my request for leniency was flatly denied.”

Grundy’s Shoes general manager Tom Whittenbury has hit out at Holdfast Bay Council. Picture: LinkedIn

He said speaking out wasn’t about the $65 parking fine but more about the principle.

“Businesses along Jetty Rd have endured months of disruption, reduced foot traffic and logistical headaches,” he said.

“We’ve kept our doors open, supported our staff, and continued to serve our community all while navigating around construction fencing and noise.

“The council’s refusal to waive a minor fine feels like a symbolic dismissal of the challenges we face daily.”

To add insult to injury, Mr Grundy revealed on Friday while meeting with council members to discuss the impact the work had had on businesses and his parking fine, he returned to his work van to find a fresh parking ticket.

He said the fresh blow was the last straw.

“As a business owner and landlord on Jetty Rd for over four decades, I’ve seen this iconic strip evolve through good times and bad,” he said.

“I’ve weathered economic downturns, changing retail landscapes and, more recently, the disruptive roadworks that have plagued the area for months.

“What I didn’t expect, however, was a lack of compassion from the very council that should be supporting its local business community.”

He said businesses along Jetty Rd had endured months of disruption, reduced foot traffic and logistical headaches.

“We’ve kept our doors open, supported our staff, and continued to serve our community all while navigating around construction fencing and noise,” he said.

“The council’s refusal to waive a minor fine feels like a symbolic dismissal of the challenges we face daily.

“Compassion and respect shouldn’t be optional. They should be foundational values in how local government interacts with its community, especially those who have invested decades into building and sustaining it.”

Holdfast Bay Council has been contacted for comment.