Dozens of Prahran traders meet with lawyers over Cato Square redevelopment
Dozens of Prahran business owners who say their lives and livelihoods have been destroyed by a massive redevelopment have had a meeting with lawyers as they plan legal action against Stonnington Council.
Inner East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Almost 50 Prahran traders attended a meeting with lawyers planning a class action against Stonnington Council over the “devastating effect” of a $60 million redevelopment.
Several cafe and shop owners met with Mitry Lawyers at Prahran’s Reverie Cafe on Monday night, and spoke out about the devastating losses to their businesses, saying they had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars since works began in January last year.
The Leader last month revealed the brewing legal action, after traders revealed the detrimental effects of redevelopment works in the Cato Square precinct.
The $60 million project, which includes more than 9000sq m of open space and two levels of underground parking, has still only partially been completed.
Jesse Hibbs, who owns Prahran Foot Clinic and acting as the lead plaintiff, said the primary driver to start the class action was seeing dozens of longstanding traders shut their doors.
“We’re happy with the turnout this evening. The numbers are quite good and there’s a diverse range of people who have expressed interest — it’s definitely going in the right direction.”
“I was watching all of my friends go out of business — it was devastating and this is what prompted me to begin this class action,” Mr Hibbs said.
“Some traders lost more than $500,000 and prior to the works they were doing well for so many years.”
He said the area had become desolated, with traders feeling an overwhelming sense of “helplessness” and “isolation”.
“All we wanted from the council was compensation for the disruption but none of this was offered and it’s so unfair.”
Renowned pastry chef Pierrick Boyer, who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars at his previous cafe on Izett St due to works, said he hoped more traders would jump on board to have strength in numbers.
“This is the time for traders to stick together. This is our time to fight back,” Mr Boyer said.
Mitry Lawyers principal Rick Mitry said he thought tonight’s meeting was successful and would influence more traders to sign up.
“At this stage we haven’t had many traders sign up but after tonight we feel that we’ll have at least 40 and we’ve had an additional 20 who have expressed interest,” Mr Mitry said.
Some traders also voiced concerns about whether they would benefit financially from taking part in a class action, saying it could result in “further losses”.
Trader Roy, surname withheld, who owns a shop nearby the precinct, said he worried the class action would further increase the “suffering” to traders.
“They could be left with nothing in their pockets and from experience lawyers and the lenders end up with all the money,” he said.
MORE NEWS:
DANGEROUS BOTOX LOOPHOLE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK
COUPLE’S PAIN AFTER PUPPY’S HEARTBREAKING DEATH
WOULD YOU SWIPE RIGHT FOR A BABYSITTER?
Stonnington Council Mayor Steve Stefanopoulos repeated his statement earlier this month, when he told the Leader the council worked closely with local businesses “from the project’s inception and throughout construction, including weekly updates, monthly meetings and site tours”.
He said Prahran Square was on track to be open for the 2019 festive season.