Boronia Mall labelled ‘blight’ on suburb as Renew Boronia initiative declared a failure

TIRED Boronia Mall has been labelled a “blight” on the suburb, with a renewal initiative a failure and the centre’s future questioned.

A BOLD bid to revitalise Boronia Mall has failed.

It comes as former mayor Peter Lockwood labelled the centre a “blight” on the suburb and blamed centre management for the failure of the Renew Boronia initiative.

Only one shop owner offered to give up their vacant store rent-free as part of the renewal project, despite about 20 businesses wanting to move in.

Knox teenager Natalie Pennicuik’s business A Little Puppy Called Milly was the only one slated to open, but it’s not clear if it did.

Cr Lockwood claimed mall centre management “sabotaged” the initiative by talking owners out of taking part.

“We had some people interested but they withdrew after speaking with the centre manager,” Cr Lockwood said.

“I don’t see that mall has a great future. It needs at least renovation, it needs new life in there.”

RELATED: Craigieburn Plaza traders plead for help after big drop in business

Spruiking the program last July, the council, with Renew Australia, wanted landlords to offer rent-free shops to encourage new entrepreneurs to the mall.

Renew Australia founder Marcus Westbury said the idea was to bring people back to the area, which would eventually lead to the shops being filled by new, paying tenants.

But the initiative has been scrapped and the council’s acting city development director Steven Dickson said it was “extremely disappointed” the program “did not receive enough take-up by owners”.

Mr Dickson refused to detail the cost of the project, but the main investment was council officer time and a “small amount” of money for marketing and promotion.

The council said the mall was managed by agent TeskaCarson, and the shops were individually owned.

When Leader visited last week, there were four shops empty and for lease, including the huge Spare Change store.

Boronia Mall or Boronia Morgue? Any ideas on how to bring it to life?

Posted by Knox Leader on Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Readers flooded Knox Leader’s Facebook page with suggestions for the tired mall and Gee Jays Fashions owner Jacinta Pettiford even offered people a discount to shop there.

Ms Pettiford said retailers agreed the centre needed an overhaul and as tenants they tried hard to spruce the place up.

“Maybe if customers start to voice their complaints it might help?” she said.

“However, as I keep saying if people don’t support the small shopping centres they won’t have a choice but to have to go to (Westfield) Knox.”

The Deli Circle’s Terrie Costanzo leases her shop space and called on the mall’s management and other landlords to make the centre more vibrant.

Ms Costanzo told Leader the decor was tired, and more could be done to market the centre and encourage people to visit.

The mall’s centre management, and TeskaCarson, did not return Leader’s calls.

Renew Australia refused to answer Leader’s questions and forwarded inquiries to the council.