Footscray and Nicholson St Mall traders push to relocate Reaching Out In the Inner West of Melbourne’s free meal service over safety concerns

A group of Footscray traders is rallying to relocate a free meal service, claiming long queues are blocking shopfronts and deterring customers.

Footscray traders push to move free meal service over ‘nuisance’ claims.

A group of traders in Footscray Mall is calling for a volunteer-run soup kitchen to be relocated, claiming it is causing safety issues and disruptions to their businesses.

City of Maribyrnong has received a petition from a dozen businesses in Footscray Mall and Nicholson Street Mall, calling for the relocation of Reaching Out In the Inner West of Melbourne.

The service — which provides vegetarian meals, drinks, clothing, toiletries and sleeping bags to homeless people in the area — operates every Monday afternoon and evening.

Footscray Mall traders are calling for the relocation of Reaching Out In the Inner West of Melbourne free meal service, which operates at the mall every Monday from 4pm. Picture: Supplied/Reddit.

But shop owners say the service creates long queues that block their store entrances, causing a loss of foot traffic and sales during extended trading periods.

“Apprehensions about the safety and comfort of their children [have been expressed] given the large crowds and behaviour of the crowds attending to receive meals,” the petition states, noting it is also running near a newly built children’s playground.

Owner of a migration business Madeline Tran said the free food service queue and anti-social behaviour had led to losses for her business.

She said the company wanted to extend their services to tutoring but parents being “terrified” of sending children to the mall meant they scrapped the plan.

“We are not against the service … if they move to the open green space it would make much more sense, why here in the middle of shop fronts?” she said,

Another business owner also told the Herald Sun she lost “a lot” of customers because the anti-social behaviour that came from the queues.

Owner of Austin Knox Office Supplies says he doesn’t mind the queue which begins at his storefront because it was helping “vulnerable” once a week for a few hours. Picture: supplied.

But the owner of Austin Knox Office Supply Roop Singh — outside which the food line begins — said the problem at the mall was not caused by the “vulnerable people” wanting food.

“They don’t cause problems … they’re standing to get free food,” he said.

“It is the issues apart from the free food — the mall has become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.”

Mr Singh said moving the food bank would not stop the problem.

Footscray Mall and Nicholson St Mall traders petition to move Reaching Out’s free meal service claiming anti-social behaviour. Picture: Supplied.

The petition — which will be tabled at Tuesday night’s Maribyrnong council meeting — claims previous requests to resolve the issue have been “ignored” by the organisation Reaching Out and Maribyrnong council.

“Our letter seeks to reach a sound resolution between the parties without the requirement of further legal action and the time and money costs of same,” the petition reported.

“Our overarching goal is to harmonise the interests of local businesses and community organisations.”

Traders have offered “financial or in-kind support” to facilitate a move for the volunteer organisation to Maddern Square — about 400m away.

Reaching Out In the Inner West of Melbourne has been contacted for comment.