‘Everybody is frightened’: Preston Market closure warning

Traders are fearing the worst after the owners of the Preston market warn the site will have to shut down for two years if the stalls aren’t relocated.

Traders at the Preston Market say they are “frightened” after the owner of the property announced the site would shut down within months if the market was not relocated.

In an email to all stallholders last week, co-owner and developer Salta Properties stated the market would close from January for two years to allow for renovations, after Planning Minister Sonja Kilkenny announced proposed development rules that would restrict development.

Jim Katsaros, who has run Athina’s Deli at the market for 13 years, said the announcement was a “complete shock”.

“We are in complete shock as shop traders from the threat from the developers to shut the market … Everybody is frightened.”

Mr Katsaros said he believed the “threat” to shut down the market was a tactical move from the owners to sway the government in its planning decision.

“The planning authority came down with a decision … and the developers do not like it,” he said.

He said closing the market would wipe out local businesses and hurt many local families.

“If this goes ahead, this will destroy more than 100 families of the shop traders, the majority who have been there for many, many years.”

Jim and Athina Katsaros, who run Athina's Deli at the Preston Market.

“I will lose my business … I will go bankrupt and this will happen with a lot of the traders.

“All these people have not been taken into consideration, all that's been taken into consideration is a development.

“It's a development versus humans.”

An online statement from Salta Properties managing director Sam Tarascio said the existing market was “past its useful life” and construction for renovations would result in significant disruption to the site and make it unsafe for customers and traders.

“We would need to close beyond January 2024 … None of the traders will return after any extended shut down period.

“We want to take all of the best parts of the current market and replicate them in something new that means the traders, who are the market, can continue on for the long term.”

The new heritage overlay proposed by the state government would allow for up to 14-storeys and accommodate 1200 apartments, which has blocked the owner’s plans to build a 19-storey apartment tower.

An artist rendering of the design for a new Preston Market as proposed by the owners of the site.

Save Preston Market campaigner George Kanjere said the owners did not present any information on the need to do a full renovation of the existing market to the standing advisory committee panel last year.

“They didn't say anything about that … They came up with this after the minister made her announcement that the state government was going to put heritage overlays to protect the market,” Mr Kanjere said.

Mr Katsaros said while many traders supported there being some development and improvements to the site, they did not want to be relocated to a new shopping centre style amenity, as proposed by the owners.

“They love where they are, they love working there, they love the community, they love the atmosphere and a community market is a community market … It‘s not a shopping centre.”