Brisbane City Council to invest $9 million to upgrade local retail hubs

A BRISBANE City Council commitment to spend $9 million on breathing new life into struggling suburban retail precincts could be all-but a waste of money if it doesn’t help to deal with a basic customer need, retailers say.

Half-a-dozen premises are untenanted and for lease under Priority Properties at Ascot Village.

BRISBANE City Council has committed more than $9 million to upgrade several local retail hubs but without increasing, or at least policing, car parking it could all be to no avail.

Several shopping destinations across Brisbane with a good chunk of “for lease” signs could do with some BCC loving.

Among those on the wait list for some TLC is Beaudesert Road, Moorooka which, coincidentally, will have two cafes open up within metres of each other in the coming weeks.

The timing of the cafes’ openings could not have been more opportune.

The council has promised to splash more than $200,000 on designs to upgrade another five retail hubs including the Beaudesert Road strip.

Simon Thompson, who owns The Red Lion Hotel on Beaudesert Road, had some constructive thoughts to improve the shopping and dining experience.

Red Lion Hotel owner Simon Thompson.

He said additional lighting would assist the night-time economy and enforcing parking time limits would produce a higher turnover of visitors.

“They need to do a bit to engage the laneways and arcades, and better lighting at night-time would be a key and make it more night-time friendly, but that comes with a tenancy mix and having restaurants open at night,” he said.

“There could be more frequent policing of parking time limits.”

He believes in the suburb so much he has spent $1 million on upgrading the hotel he bought three years ago.

Another business owner who can see Moorooka on the rise is Alyce Judson who will soon open Revamp Espresso Bar.

One of the laneways that could be transformed into a trendy retail hub in Moorooka.

The cafe is one of two that will open almost side-by-side and she said the suburb was becoming more affluent and the African influence in Moorooka added to the shopping experience.

The premises where Revamp Espresso will open in mid-October was vacant for two years.

“We chose that site because it’s becoming more expensive to live and it’s up and coming,” she said.

“Street lighting would be great and I think parking is a major issue.”

Another shopping centre where “for lease” signs peppered the streets was Wilston Village along Kedron Brook Road.

It’s a destination where some businesses have flourished and others have fallen, partly because of high rent although parking can be an issue.

Shops for lease in Wilston.

Raine & Horne Commercial agent Hudson Dale who has a couple of premises to fill in Wilston Village, said it’s still a “decent destination for lunch and dinner”.

“It’s a very popular, but hard to get a park and everyone loves it but the shops can’t afford to pay too much rent,” he said.

“It’s still alive, the vacancies aren’t harming the consumer experience anyway.”

In contrast to shopping strips struggling for car parks, one place that has an abundance of parking but next to no tenants was Ascot Village opposite Eagle Farm Racecourse.

Hacienda Flowers and Maggie T on Racecourse Rd in Ascot.

Just a credit union and massage business are open, while half-a-dozen premises are untenanted and for lease under Priority Properties.

Across the road, shops once occupied by fashion outlet Maggie T and Hacienda Flowers and Furnishings are empty.

One of the more recent stores to close at the Village was the popular HSP Charcoal Kebab Restaurant.

Ascot Village KSP Charcoal Kebab Restaurant lies dormant.

Locals used social media to blame the continual towing of vehicles from the Village car park for the stores’ and the centre’s demise.

Priority Properties refused to comment on the high number of vacancies although the shutting down of the racecourse because of inferior turf would no doubt have had a detrimental effect.

A community online noticeboard suggested Racecourse Road should have metered parking, with Ascot residents provided with permits.

An accompanying online poll was more in favour of permits but not parking meters.

Parking was not on City Planning Chairman Cr Matthew Bourke’s agenda but he did say the Village Precinct Project program was designed to provide an economic boost to suburban shopping precincts.

“We have seen in the past that refreshing the streetscape with landscaping, seating and street furniture and pavement works, as well as offering free Wi-Fi, can offer an enormous benefit to local centres,” Cr Bourke said.