Lutwyche Road shops vacant as oversupply leaves ghost town feel

Locals are mounting a campaign to save businesses along one of Brisbane’s busiest roads, as an oversupply of retail space is blamed for the area’s ghost-town feel, with experts calling the whole strip an “unmitigated disaster”.

A SHOPPING strip along one of Brisbane’s busiest arterial roads has been described as an "unmitigated disaster" as shopfronts sit empty amid poor foot traffic.

Despite the gloomy prognosis, a grassroots movement on social media to support small businesses has provided hope that the precinct can be saved.

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The Courier-Mail last week visited Lutwyche Rd in Brisbane’s inner north, finding a number of retail spaces waiting to be leased along the stretch.

Churchill Real Estate second-generation principal Damon Churchill, whose agency is based along Lutwyche Rd, said “acres” of unwanted retail space under apartment towers during a recent development boom had given the precinct a ghost-town aesthetic.

“We didn’t need it, no one asked for it, it was just a town planning idea,” Mr Churchill said.

“Nearly all of those shops are vacant, most of them that aren’t vacant have had shocking revolutions of tenants,” he said.

“The rental rates have fallen obviously.”

“It’s been a disaster.”

For Lease signs are a common sign along Lutwyche Rd. Picture: Thomas Morgan

The frustrating situation has led locals to take matters into their own hands, with social media now playing an integral role in boosting struggling operators and pushing residents to support mum-and-dad businesses.

Carla Wall, who created the 'Love Lutwyche, Support Local' Facebook group, said the sight of For Lease signs along the major thoroughfare was "a shame."

Ms Wall has put up close to 1,000 flyers in the local area, promoting the group and calling on locals in the area to support local businesses doing it tough.

Since she founded the group in March, it has already attracted 1,500 members.

“What I’ve been doing is trying to support a business every week,” Ms Wall said.

“We need the local businesses in our community.”

Churchill Real Estate principal Damon Churchill said the area was struggling due to an oversupply of retail. Picture: Churchill Real Estate.

“My incentive was that I could see people hurting out there,” she said.

Ms Wall said many small businesses in Lutwyche and surrounding suburbs, some of which were just opening before the coronavirus crisis, were driven to the brink by lockdowns.

“We’re just trying to survive now so that we can springboard back.”

But many businesses along Lutwyche Rd have already disappeared, with fears that the situation could get worse.

“There are about four or five empty buildings,” Ms Wall said.

“I just wonder how many more we’re going to get. It’s a real shame.”

Personal trainer Mark Astle, 33, who started his business not long before COVID-19 lockdowns began, said his business survived thanks to the social media page.

“(The situation was) a little bit scary at first for sure, and a little bit panicky.”

He said before the page came about, Lutwyche was suffering an identity crisis.

“The redevelopment of the shopping centre, that seems to have spruced the area up a bit,” Mr Astle said.

“But for more the top half of it … I’d say the money isn’t plowed in there much.”