Owners of Mate & Matt’s fruit and veg shop, cafe in Cudgen slam Tweed Valley Hospital parking overflow

Frustrated owners of a humble fruit shop a stone’s throw from the new Tweed hospital have slammed staff and visitors for taking over their carpark, saying they want to “coexist harmoniously”.

Mate & Matt's Cudgen. Picture: Supplied.

Frustrated owners of a small family-run business a stone’s throw from the new Tweed hospital have slammed staff and patients for taking over their carpark, saying they want to “coexist harmoniously”.

Mate & Matt’s in Cudgen has been operating for more than 25 years and the humble fruit and veg stall-cum-cafe has never had an issue with parking until the Tweed Valley Hospital swung open its doors last month.

Owners have witnessed their parking spaces filled with cars from both staff and patients at the new hospital, with the stoush prompting owner Jane Prichard to take it up with the hospital’s general manager.

Mate & Matt's Cudgen is a stone’s throw from the new Tweed Valley Hospital, pictured here under construction before opening its doors in May 2024. Picture: Supplied.

Last week, Ms Prichard took to Facebook to send a message loud and clear.

“We have been patient. We have been in contact with hospital management. We have been flexible in this initial period of transition for everyone and adaptation in our community,” she wrote.

“Our staff have been parked in and unable to leave at their end of their work day. We have left kind notes on vehicles. We have had hundreds of conversations with people who unfortunately just do not care.

The small, family-run business has been in operation for more than 25 years. Picture: Supplied.

“Next week signage will be installed indicating that our car park is private property for customers to park in only. The message will be clear and consequences will be swift.

“Please understand that we are just trying to do business in the way that we always have and to do that we need our carparking for our customers. Your respect and your understanding would be appreciated by our family.”

In the wake of the post, Ms Prichard told the Tweed Daily News hospital management had been co-operative and had “made immediate attempts to make more parking spaces available to staff”.

“To the best of their ability they sorted staff parking out virtually overnight, so conversations with the general manager have been positive and productive,” Ms Prichard said.

“But unfortunately we still have issues with patients and visitors, where I’m having to have a new conversation each day with everyone parking here.

“I also can’t stand out the front and monitor a car park all day long when we are trying to run a business.

The new $723.3 million Tweed Valley Hospital is massive, catering to patients from all over northern NSW and the southern Gold Coast. Picture: Supplied.

“Sadly, there are some people who just walk away and don’t listen or don’t care. It’s not okay.

Ms Prichard said things came to a head on one occasion when one of her staff members was parked in and could not go home after their shift.

“It’s frustrating. We want to coexist harmoniously with the hospital. We are a long-running family business and the reality is – if people can’t park here they won’t shop here.”

Ms Prichard said new signage had been ordered to deter hospital visitors from parking at the shop.

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