Sydney is losing its colour with CBD street kiosks reduced from 55 to five in three years

They were once explosions of colour amid grey concrete; bright blooms, kaleidoscopes of fresh fruit and “look at me” magazine covers. But the fruit barrows, newspaper stands, and flower kiosks that once lined Sydney CBD streets are now all but extinct.

They were once explosions of colour amid grey concrete; bright blooms, kaleidoscopes of fresh fruit and “look at me” magazine covers. But the fruit barrows, newspaper stands, and flower kiosks that once lined city’s streets are now all but extinct.

Just five kiosks are operating in central Sydney today, a stark comparison to the 55 that filled the CBD in 2021.

Business Sydney wants kiosks to return, with executive director Paul Nicolaou calling the stalls a crucial part of Sydney’s charm.

“To be a city with character, a city like Sydney needs its characters, and this is exactly what we had with our fruit barrow sellers in years past.,” he said.

“They were a part of the lifeblood and personality of our wonderful city, but very few remain today to carry on this tradition of street-level customer service. “

Sydney CBD florist Linda Scaltrito at her street kiosk. Picture: Tim Hunter.

People buying fruit for lunch and snacks from a fruit street stall in Sydney. Picture: AAP.

Husband and wife Anthony and Linda Scaltrito have run a cosy flower kiosk on Martin Place for the past 13 years.

When the 2013 Sydney Lindt Cafe Lindt Cafe siege happened, the couple were responsible for the thousands of flowers sold in tributes to victims.

However, in recent years business has dropped, and they were forced to move from their well known spot to a much quieter stall on Barrack and York after council renovations.

A fruit barrow at corner of O'Connell and Hunter Streets in Sydney in 1991.

The move saw City of Sydney council update and modernise “street furniture” including bus stops, toilets and seats, as well as replace street kiosks for the first time in over 20 years.

“What we sell is enough to pay the rent and barely pay us,” Mr Scaltrito said.

“Slowly, slowly they (kiosks) are disappearing. There’s not as many people in the city.”

He said kiosks like his “brightens up the city and the pathways.”

An old-style fruit barrow in Pitt Street, Sydney in 1953.

A City of Sydney spokesperson said the need for kiosks has changed significantly over the decades.

“We have seen the emergence of convenience stores and small format supermarkets in the central business area, and experienced the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the retail landscape,” the spokesperson said.

“Installing too many kiosks could provide unnecessary competition for existing shopfront rental or add access impediments in our highly pedestrianised areas. “

There was once a time when the Scaltritos family would sell hundreds of flowers a day.

Today, a good day sees about 30 customer. But many more people will stop, chat, smell the roses, and smile, their day brightened.

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