Mornington Peninsula shops: Mornington, Rosebud, Hastings reopen
Traders counting the cost of the coronavirus lockdown say they need people to buy local and help them rebound.
South East
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Mornington Peninsula shopping strips appear to have survived the worst of the coronavirus storm that has smashed retail precincts across southeast Melbourne.
When the Leader visited retail precincts in Mornington, Rosebud and Hastings this week there were a total of 31 ‘For Lease’ signs across shopping strips with a total of 307 businesses.
High St, Hastings had the highest vacancy rate of the three, with 12 empty shops (12.8 per cent) followed by Main St, Mornington – 15 vacancies at a rate of 7.9 per cent.
Rosebud had just four ‘For Lease’ signs in the Point Nepean Rd strip from Jetty Rd to Eighth Ave.
Commercial and industrial real estate specialist Michael Crowder said the region had appeared to have weathered the initial storm.
And if the region had a prosperous summer it might escape mass closures hitting other Melbourne areas including Frankston where one in four businesses in the CBD have closed.
But Mr Crowder warned the true impact of the coronavirus pandemic would not be felt until early 2021.
“The test for all businesses, and in particular retail, will be once JobKeeper, rent relief and other state and federal government incentives finish,” Mr Crowder said.
Westernport Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Jason Dowler agreed and said the next six months would be critical for local traders.
He said the group was planning a series of initiatives to draw people back to the high street now that restrictions had eased.
“We’re considered a gift card scheme that would encourage people to spend with our traders,” Mr Dowler said.
Zen Living owner Annie Zaicz said Mornington traders were overjoyed to be open again.
“We breathed a huge sigh of relief,” she said.
“Now it’s just a matter of being sensible and following the rules and not thinking that this is all over, because it isn’t and we don’t want to be locked down again.”
Ms Zaicz said while there were some vacancies along the strip and in side streets, pop up shops had already moved into some and others had been re-let.
“The street has also benefited from the fact that a lot of businesses had done click and collect and we’ve still had people buying take away coffee and walking up and done throughout the hard lockdown.”
Mornington Peninsula Shire chief executive John Baker said the council’s number one priority was to get businesses trading again.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for local businesses to trade in a way that will maximise turnover while remaining COVID-safe,” Mr Baker said.
Initiatives already rolled out include a light touch, streamlined permit system for extended outdoor trading, including extended footpath space and new parklets, which repurpose carparking spaces outside shop fronts.
“We are also currently working closely with the business community to identify key shopping strips that could be opened up to pedestrians and diners,” Mr Baker said.
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