Coronavirus: Whitehorse Council is offering free parking to lure customers back to Box Hill
Box Hill Central traders are bearing the brunt of the public’s coronavirus fears, with some businesses experiencing a drop of up to 60 per cent in trade. But Whitehorse Council has hit on idea it reckons will encourage shoppers to return.
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Shoppers who have deserted Box Hill Central in droves for fear of coronavirus are being enticed back with the promise of free parking.
Whitehorse Council announced the measure to support traders who have experienced a drop in business of about 50 to 60 per cent with the normally bustling food and shopping precinct struggling.
Free parking will be provided at select parking meter locations from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays across March and April.
Customers will be able to park for free in Whitehorse Rd between Station St and Clisby Court, in the Whitehorse Rd tram terminus carpark, and in parts of Station St, Carrington Rd and Cambridge St.
Centre management have a roster in place to ensure toilets are cleaned every 20 minutes, with public hand sanitisers ordered for amenities located throughout the centre for anyone to use.
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COUNCIL REASSURES THE COMMUNITY
The Asian Business Association of Whitehorse is planning to hold the Chinese New Year festival — which was scheduled for February 1 but postponed the day before — soon as possible.
“For cultural and commercial reasons, and out of respect for the difficulties currently being experienced by many people, Asian Business Association of Whitehorse has decided to postpone the 2020 Chinese New Year Festival,” president Tom Zheng said in a statement at the time.