Bayside locals say Cleveland is a ghost town

Dead, rundown, dirty; these are just a few words locals have used to describe a key bayside street, once bustling but now littered with for lease signs.

Baysiders have been left dismayed by the transformation of Cleveland's once-bustling main street into a ghost town.

Locals are blaming high rents, lack of foot traffic, dirt and ageing infrastructure for the downturn of Bloomfield St.

Cleveland local, Tony Morrison, said he had seen Bloomfield St turn from booming to deserted after Covid-19 and rental surges.

“I mean, where are all the people?” Mr Morrison said.

“It’s a bloody ghost town.”

For Lease litter the streets in Cleveland.

He said small business owners had no chance of success in the area.

“It’s like if you put your shop in there you’re damned, you’re doomed,” he said.

“It’s scary, it seems to be dying.”

Multiple ‘For Lease’ signs are scattered around Cleveland’s once vibrant town — almost 10 shops fronts advertised on Bloomfield St alone.

Jeppo’s Gelato is the latest to go, with some locals claiming it could not afford the rent.

Jeppo’s Gelato Bar on Bloomfield St Cleveland, closed.

The manager of Crocs footwear store said she had been there for almost 18 years and had never seen it so quiet.

“Cleveland is dead,” Donna, who did not want her last name used, said.

“There’s no families, kids — you’ll find everyone just bypasses Cleveland to go to Deception Bay”.

Owner of Soy and Shea, Keeley Towler, said part of the reason for the drop in customers was a lack of advertising or promotion.

“Social media is where it’s at, at the moment,” Ms Towler said.

“You can’t survive off of no advertisement and no social media.”

Ms Towler said more than half of her sales had come from online customers.

“A lot of people in the area are older and argue that they can’t use social media, but you just have to,” she said.

For lease signs scattered along Bloomfield St Cleveland.

Multiple business owners from the area agreed the street is dated and dirty.

“It would help if the street was more clean,” Ms Towler said.

Recently Redland City Council installed lights on street trees, which left some business owners unimpressed.

“They put fairy lights up when they could have invested it into so many other things, shops aren’t even open at night,” Donna said.

A spokesman from Redland City Council said it had recently completed landscaping improvements including, replanting, mulching and new light fixtures.

“Council’s Village Events and Activation Grant program supports community organisations and village traders in promoting their local village centres and making them more vibrant,” the spokesman said.

“Council’s Economic Development team facilitated a workshop in late June with a view to promoting greater connections and opportunities among the private sector to support the investment Council is already making in the Cleveland centre.”