Box Hill Mall: The dimly-lit foodie strip we dare not enter at dark as diners, traders fear for safety

WHEN one of Melbourne’s biggest suburban dining strips landed high on a list of the city’s 10 least safe spots, desperate foodies and traders felt finally heard. But sadly, things still haven’t changed.

A YEAR after one of Melbourne’s biggest suburban restaurant and grocery strips made a list of the city’s ten least safe locations, no safety improvements have been made despite public pleas.

Box Hill traders fear a lack of lighting in the suburb’s mall is allowing drunks and vandals to run riot at night.

Almost a year after the mall came second in a top 10 list of places pedestrians felt unsafe in Melbourne, no new lighting has been added.

Rufina Chan, who owns a business on the mall, said better lighting was desperately needed along Main St and around the perimeter of Woolworths.

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“It’s very dangerous,” Ms Chan said.

Her office was broken into last year, and she said there was regularly “quite a number of people” boozing around the mall after dark.

Ms Chan said she contacted Whitehorse Council and shopping centre managers about her concerns months ago, but nothing had changed.

Mall worker Michelle Liu said she had complained in writing to the council.

Business owner David Tang told the council: “For far too long, lighting is not safe for evening activities.”

Box Hill police Acting Senior Sergeant Grant Adams said the mall was “one of the highest priority areas” for police presence.

He said the area was patrolled by police as often as they could, and usually several times a day.

Box Hill Central manager Ben Watson said the centre was working with the council, which managed the lighting and facilities, to improve the mall.

Box Hill Central mall needs better lighting to keep troublemakers away, traders say.

“We are aware of some concerns and we have contacted the council team to investigate the matter,” he said.

Council general manager city development Jeff Green said the council’s draft 2018-19 budget allocated money for an assessment of the lighting infrastructure.

“Subject to the results of the assessment, consideration will be given to any recommended lighting infrastructure upgrades,” he said.

Mr Green said the council had responded to three requests to repair lights at the mall in the past year.

There have been three submissions to the council’s 2018-19 budget, all from people working at the mall, requesting the council improve lights.

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