For Lease signs dot empty shop windows in one of Brisbane's iconic high streets

Small business owners who have long been battling major downturns in trade on one of Brisbane’s best-known retail strips say they can still survive the greatest threat to their existence, COVID-19, even as ‘For Lease’ signs pepper the once-thriving thoroughfare.

ONE of Brisbane’s most prominent high streets has been coat hangered by COVID-19, with For Lease signs popping up along a strip already struggling before the pandemic hit.

But local shop owners along Racecourse Rd in Ascot are pleading for the public to throw their weight behind small businesses, saying many will be able to survive the tough economic times.

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The Courier-Mail visited the strip last week, finding numerous shops sitting empty and few customers about.

It comes despite years of warnings that the Brisbane’s well-loved urban village were being ravaged by online shopping, expensive rents, low foot traffic and consumers preferring bigger shopping centres.

QUT Business School professor Dr Gary Mortimer warned that COVID-19 lockdowns had exacerbated the already troubled situation.

Dr Gary Mortimer said retailers were in an unprecedented time. Picture: File.

“Most of these suburban retail precincts would have a mix of retail businesses, including services, hospitality, food and beverage,” Dr Mortimer said.

“Late last year and earlier this year, we were talking about the ‘retail apocalypse,’” he said.

“The post-COVID-19 era has now exasperated those conditions because all those areas are obviously underpinned by bars, restaurants, bistros, cafes and gyms. Those types of services have closed down.”

It comes as prominent chain Cafe 63 announced it was closing its original venue along Racecourse Rd.

He said the decline in foot traffic could have a spiralling effect, with more and more closures due to lockdowns accelerating the decline of other businesses.

A For Lease sign along Racecourse Rd. Picture: Kara Sonter.

“When components of that offer, such as gyms, beauty services, bistros, bars and cafes … when they close down, which they do, there is accordingly less foot traffic moving into those areas, which means other retailers will suffer as a direct result.”

Racecourse Road Business Group president Jan Goakes said that high rents from some landlords were a major factor on the streets.

“These people need to be realistic, otherwise they will have empty stores,” Ms Goakes said.

“A good tenant is like gold.”

Racecourse Road Business Group president Jan Goakes said the street would survive and thrive if the public threw its weight behind small business. Picture: David Clark

“Some landlords have not offered any assistance to their long term tenants of something like 20 years,” she said.

But Ms Goakes said there were a lot of strong businesses on Racecourse Rd, and urged the public to come back.

“These businesses have stayed open the whole time (through the pandemic),” she said.

“We’ve been there and we’ve been very appreciative of all our loyal customers.”

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While Racecourse Rd fashion shop Lyle & Bank managed to trade through the pandemic, owner Susie Goff said it hasn’t been smooth sailing, even before coronavirus.

Cafe 63’s original cafe at 63 Racecourse Rd was recently announced to be closing, in a major blow to the well-known high street. Picture: File.

Ms Goff said roadworks along Kingsford Smith Drive, which regularly blocked off access to Racecourse Rd, were hurting foot traffic.

“I’ve just noticed a massive difference month-to-month,” Ms Goff said.

“Foot traffic is certainly not what it used to be.”

Ms Goff said the combination of Kingsford Smith Drive roadworks, online shopping, the pandemic and the recent closure of the original Cafe 63 had driven people away from the prominent shopping strip.

“It’s just been one thing after the other,” she said.