Ex-business owner opens up about CBD struggle

"WE ARE gutted... we are walking away with a substantial loss.”

DEVASTATED: Kellie Acton said she and husband Andrew were "gutted" to have to close their Subway Restaurant on Molesworth St, in Lismore. She is pictured with daughter Mardhi. Picture: Francis Witsenhuysen

TWELVE years of trading has ended for another Lismore business due to "council's over-priced rates and neglect for its CBD”.

Kellie and Andrew Acton reluctantly closed the doors of their Subway restaurant on Molesworth St after doing everything they could to keep it open.

"We are gutted,” Mrs Acton said.

"We are walking away with a substantial loss.”

Mrs Acton said CBD businesess had been struggling prior to the March 2017 flood and was disappointed Lismore City Council business rates did not reflect that continuing trend.

"The value of rentals has gone down because the CBD isn't attracting the foot traffic,” she said.

"We've done a bit of research, and other people who have CBD businesses in Ballina and Tweed, say in Ballina the rates are $800 a year and in Tweed, they are $900 a year.

"We've worked out is an average of $8000 a year here ... council's rates are just really over-priced.”

She hoped prices would eventually come down to help other businesses struggling and to encourage new business.

The heartfelt note Kellie and Andrew Acton left for customers after lengthy negotiations to keep their Subway restaurant on Molesworth St in Lismore's CBD open, failed. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

　　

Lismore Mayor Issac Smith said council was aware that its CBD rates were too high.

"We are currently looking at a number of ways to reduce that, such as a rate rebate,” he said.

”We've had no luck in finding a solution yet, but I'm confident we will in August.

"Hopefully those cuts can be delivered to the businesses as soon as possible. I'll be working hard to make sure that happens.”

Cr Smith said he was disappointed to see businesses having to close in the CBD.

"We need to find more ways to revitalise it and we are looking to work more with the Chamber of Commerce to do so,” he said.

The Subway store has now been closed for nearly a month, but the Actons are still devastated.

"Our accountant told us we would go through a bit of grief when it finally happened and I shrugged that off,” she said.

"But when it happened we felt a massive sense of loss and I couldn't help but feel a little sense of failure ... Even though you know you've done everything you can, it's ultimately your business.”

Despite the loss of the Lismore store the Actons are still running another Subway in Casino.

"It's going well and it's consistent,” she said.

"We are lucky to have that as a backup because I'd hate to think of where we'd be without it.

"We will have to work extra hard to make up for our losses. Hopefully some of our old friends and customers will come and see us over there.”

A Lismore City Council spokeswoman said the average general rates for CBD rated properties was about $8400.

"It is accepted that the general rates for Lismore have been historically higher than neighbouring councils. The level of general rates predominately stems from Lismore historically being the regional capital,” the spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said plans for the CBD in future included the upgrade of footpaths.

Other projects being progressed or investigated include: serviced apartment development in the CBD, free Wifi, the Bridge to Bridge Masterplan to develop the Wilsons River, Stage 2 of Oakes Oval and the development of Lismore Regional Parkland.