Destination Hall St: Bondi Beach businesses and residents react to plan for pedestrian-friendly, one-way road

A bold trial to transform one of Bondi Beach’s busiest streets into a pedestrian-friendly haven with a range of outdoor dining options has divided residents and local businesses. Have your say.

A bold trial to transform one of Bondi Beach’s busiest streets into a pedestrian-friendly haven with a range of outdoor dining options alongside a green plaza precinct has divided residents and local businesses.

The vision, known as ‘Destination Hall Street’, is set to revitalise the shopping strip between Bondi Beach and Old South Head Rd in a six-month trial launching in September.

The transformation, funded by a $500,000 state government grant, will see the creation of a one-way street and widened footpaths – with council stating the area’s parking capacity won’t be impacted.

In a statement, a Waverley Council spokesman said the trial would “transform Hall St into a pedestrian-friendly space” with the funding designed to “test and pilot new ideas that temporarily adapt streets as safe, shared public spaces for communities”.

“Currently, Hall St has complex and congested traffic movements, with outdoor dining scattered along the road without a consistent look, feel or visual appeal,” the council website states.

Destination Hall St concept design. Image: Waverley Council.

The six-month trial will redirect traffic up Hall St. Image: Waverley Council.

Tracy Tong, owner of Hall St business Bondi Pharmacy, believes the experiment will only exacerbate existing parking problems for businesses and residents.

“I think one of the biggest frustrations would definitely be parking,” Ms Tong told the Wentworth Courier, explaining how parking was already a barrier for customers.

While Waverley Council has said it would introduce 90 degree parking, Ms Tong said she had doubts the number of parking spaces wouldn’t be impacted.

“It would affect a lot of my customers that have to drive down and pick up their medication,” she said.

Owner of Bondi Pharmacy Tracy Tong worries the change will make congestion worse.

Bondi resident Tom O'Brien believes increased outdoor dining can be achieved without cutting off an access point to the beach.

Bondi resident Tom O’Brien said with so few connecting streets to get to and from the beach, it made little sense to remove a main thoroughfare in an already congested spot.

“It’s a main area where a lot of people live,” Mr O’Brien said.

“That way’s a dead end that doesn’t go anywhere. This way is one way as well, which isn’t particularly useful. [Hall St] is a good way of getting access to the main road to the beach.”

Mr O’Brien said Bondi’s dining and bar culture had suffered from the loss of tourists and the Covid pandemic, but argued businesses could increase capacity without reducing road access.

“It’s not like the pavements are really narrow. They could use the space a bit better if they wanted to,” he said.

Rawson Kirkhope wants to see a bold strategy for Bondi.

Bustling Hall Street at Bondi Beach. Picture: Richard Dobson

Rawson Kirkhope, a Bondi resident who owns freshly-opened gym VRTUS on Hall St, supported the temporary change and hoped it would reduce the number of dangerous “near miss” accidents as pedestrians, delivery trucks, cars and motorbikes jostle for space on the busy street.

“The amount of near misses [is worrying], especially with pedestrians because there’s no zebra crossing here,” Mr Kirkhope said.

“Every day I see a minimum of four or five [near accidents], with cars turning the wrong way down Hall St, people pulling out of the street.”

Mr Kirkhope said it was time the beach saw a bold vision which could transform the area’s character for the better.

“Bondi is a destination suburb. I’d love to see streets closed off with markets, outside dining – bringing more tourists in and keeping them here. Less car traffic, more foot traffic,” he said.

Roberto Weil, owner of Makuto cafe on Hall St.

Patricia Almela, who lives on Hall St, believes better public transport would make it easier for pedestrians.

Owner of South American cafe Makuto Roberto Weill said the makeup of businesses on the street had changed in recent years but the local infrastructure had not kept up.

“Things have changed,” Mr Weill said. “There used to be five banks on this street and there are no banks anymore. This is [now] one of the most important streets in Bondi.”

Hall St resident Patricia Almela said while it was a “good idea” to encourage people to walk rather than use their cars, public transport needed to be more attractive so people left their cars at home.

Ms Almela, who has lived and worked in London and across Europe, said the plan could succeed if Bondi became more like a ‘European city” with better public transport to encourage walking.

“Sydney is not great for public transport. So any measure that reduces the number of people using cars to come to the beach, if there is good public transport that shouldn’t be an issue,” she said. “Otherwise you are making this a little golden bubble for the people who are able to live here.”

Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos said council was currently meeting with local businesses about the trial and would update the community as its plans progressed.