Light rail construction delivers mixed results for George St retailers this Christmas

THE closure of George St for light rail works was a thorny issue for CBD retailers before Christmas. Now, they give their verdict on just how damaging the disruption was to their bottom line.

Light Rail Construction

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FOLLOWING the flurry of spending that comes with Christmas, businesses along George Street are taking stock of the impact the closure of the city’s main drag has had on their trade – and opinions are divided.

Coming just three months into the construction of the CBD and South East Light Rail and the shut down of George Street to all motor vehicles, opinion is divided among the business community over whether the state government’s efforts to boost foot `traffic on the street was enough.

Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe said the feedback she had received from the larger shopping centres had been positive.

“In general the (transition) has gone remarkably well,” Ms Forsythe said.

“There have been no significant complaints.

“There will always be some businesses from time to time who will have a ­noticeable change in the time of day where customers come in but overall the feedback has been positive.”

Sydney Chamber CEO Patricia Forsythe. Picture: Phil Rogers

Cr Angela Vithoulkas. Picture: Craig Greenhill

Ms Forsythe said Transport for NSW had been very proactive in consulting with the local business community and had successfully activated local spaces.

However, City councillor Angela Vithoulkas, who also owns the Vivo Cafe on ­George Street, said small businesses felt the ­impact of the closure ­immediately.

“Unlike chain stores or massive department stores who don’t rely on that day’s income to pay rent, small businesses on or around ­George Street have been severely impacted,” Cr Vithoulkas toldCentral Sydney.

“The state government ­actively promoted work travel choices and discouraged people from visiting George Street during peak hours. We haven’t even gotten to the dirty, noisy part of construction yet.”

George St closures between King and Market streets have disrupted traffic in the CBD.

Cr Vithoulkas pointed out that unlike homeowners whose properties are compulsorily acquired for infrastructure projects, businesses along George Street who had no say in the impact on their livelihoods, were not compensated at all for their losses.

“The government has always been exceptionally quiet on their long term plan to alleviate the massive loss to the business community,” Cr Vithoulkas said.

“This is not mother nature culling the weak from the herd – this is forced physical change that alters the way people have run or invested in their business through no fault of their own.”