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What’s turning St Kilda Road into a weekend ghost town?

St Kilda Rd is full of people, from apartments to foreign consulates with plenty of cafes and restaurants in between. So why is it a ghost town on weekends?

St Kilda Rd is the main link between Melbourne and St Kilda beach, but fails to lure visitors on weekends.
St Kilda Rd is the main link between Melbourne and St Kilda beach, but fails to lure visitors on weekends.

St Kilda Rd is Melbourne’s southern gateway to the CBD and a direct city link to the beachside suburb.

The 5km stretch is lined with several office and apartment complexes — and there’s even more on the way in the coming years.

There’s a well-connected tram line, dual carriageway and defined bike lanes.

The tree-lined strip is close to the city, has a growing number of residents and office workers and healthy traffic flow — so why aren’t more people making St Kilda Rd a food, drink or entertainment destination?

On weekends, why does the strip become a ghost town?

St Kilda Rd is surrounded by parks, including Fawkner and Albert Park. Picture: Jay Town
St Kilda Rd is surrounded by parks, including Fawkner and Albert Park. Picture: Jay Town

A DIVIDED COMMUNITY WITH NO VOICE

St Kilda Rd is governed by two councils, Port Phillip Council and City of Melbourne, but the divide isn’t straight down the middle.

City of Melbourne is in charge of St Kilda Rd’s western flank beginning at the Yarra River at Princes Bridge and south to Dorcas Street.

City of Melbourne also holds responsibility for the eastern flank from the Yarra River south to High St, while the City of Port Philip assumes responsibility for the rest.

Most of St Kilda Rd’s cafes and restaurants sit at the ground level of hi-rise office or residential buildings along the strip.

Both councils have little say over what restaurants and cafes open on St Kilda Rd, as this decision usually falls with the apartment building’s landlord.

A bleak St Kilda Road in 1964 when trees copped a severe pruning.
A bleak St Kilda Road in 1964 when trees copped a severe pruning.
The view down St Kilda Rd past Flinders St station in 1939.
The view down St Kilda Rd past Flinders St station in 1939.

Instead City of Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss said the council’s planning scheme allowed for it to encourage, rather than dictate, new building developments to include an active space on the ground floor.

“What (the landlord) relocates there is a commercial decision,” CrVosssaid.

“It could be a gym or a cafe or a restaurant, something that’s open to the public and not exclusive to the building’s residents.”

St Kilda Rd also doesn’t have a traders or business association, unlike Port Melbourne or St Kilda, leaving it without a community voice.

“It doesn’t have a sense of community, and it does need that,” Ms Voss said.

City of Melbourne councillor Beverley Pinder said both councils needed to collaborate to ensure St Kilda Rd was maintained and continued to grow.

“St Kilda Rd is the gateway to Melbourne and as such, needs to retain its vibrancy, which was more apparent in the 80s and 90s,” Cr Pinder said.

“In recent years it seems to have lost a bit of that. There’s no doubt the Metro Tunnel, as a result of that station going in, will bring more people to the boulevard.”

“We need to ensure we maintain that boulevard and continue to grow our city.”

View of St Kilda Rd from St Paul's Cathedral in 1900.
View of St Kilda Rd from St Paul's Cathedral in 1900.
St Kilda Road arches.
St Kilda Road arches.

A SUBURB OF GROWTH

St Kilda Rd is home to some of Victoria and Australia’s biggest companies and organisations such as Loreal, Cancer Council Victoria, AIA, Seek and Bic.

Port Phillip Council data shows St Kilda Rd’s population was 12,600 in 2018 — up 2382 or 23 per cent in the last five years — and could reach 20,000 by 2031.

Construction of St Boulevard at High St and The Muse near Toorak Rd apartment complexes will only add to the population.

“(The space) between Queens Rd and St Kilda Rd to Park St has seen an incredible influx of planning applications,” Cr Voss said.

In 2018, there were 63 food, beverage, retail and accommodation venues along St Kilda Rd within the City of Melbourne’s boundary.

These venues employed 1160 people — up 67 per cent between 2008 and 2018.

St Kilda Rd also had 4880 cafe and restaurant seats and 300 bar places in 2018 — up 21 per cent since 2008.

SO WHERE’S GOOD TO EAT?

St Kilda Rd was home to the Belgian Beer Garden until 2015. The Village took its place soon after, but closed in 2017.

Parisian restaurant Entrecote was tipped to move from its Domain Rd home into the old wedding reception venue The Willows this March, but restaurateur Jason Jones recently said he’d stay put for another year.

“We are very confident about going into St Kilda Rd,” he said.

“It’s a beautiful avenue and with lots of opportunity. I do hope to see it as a foodie destination one day.”

While there’s several smaller name eateries and cafes along the strip, no big-name restaurateur has plans to move in just yet.

Royce Hotel’s 1920s building was the site of the city’s first Rolls-Royce car dealership.
Royce Hotel’s 1920s building was the site of the city’s first Rolls-Royce car dealership.

ST KILDA RD SUCCESS STORIES

Longstanding Royce Hotel near the Domain took on a new life after getting a new owner in 2017.

Royce Hotel general manager Ricky Crannitch said the hotel largely attracts corporates and needed to adapt to survive along the stretch by providing perks city hotels and short-stay accommodations couldn’t.

“We’ve changed our offering over the last two years for our guests to include breakfast, snacks, free movies and welcome drinks,” he said.

“We need to be a little smarter on what we’re offering to attract those people (who’d usually stay in Airbnb).”

The Royce’s Hotel still attracts crowds no matter the time or day, with plenty of loyal customers packing out the front bar Amberoom.

The Kettle Black.
The Kettle Black.

Another strong St Kilda Rd venue is Bench, which has two St Kilda Rd sites — at Slater St and 580 Bench inside the Pro Build foyer between Moubray and High streets.

Head barista Oscar Ong works at the Slater St venue and has always opened the cafe during less busy Saturday mornings.

“It’s usually quiet on weekends with no offices open but most of our customers are neighbours from apartments,” he said.

“They’ll go to (Fawkner Park) and then grab a coffee when they’re done walking the dog or playing with the kids.”

Mr Ong said Slater St Bench was surrounded by cafes, increasing competition in the block.

“It’s not really affecting us too much as we have regular business.”

Albert Rd cafes The Kettle Black and Crux and Co just off St Kilda Rd, also cater for locals on the weekends.

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WHAT’S NEXT?

St Kilda Rd needs to develop a stronger sense of community and both councils say this will change once the Metro Rail Tunnel Project is completed and Anzac Station opens at the Domain in 2025.

Ms Voss said St Kilda Rd was missing a drawcard to get visitors to the area.

“St Kilda Rd is not managed or curated like Chapel St. It’s just a bit of a hotchpotch,” she said.

“But once you have a drawcard, you’ll find other good businesses will follow and that’ll get more foot traffic.”

Entrecote also hasn’t ruled out relocating to the former Willow’s centre in 2021.

With both St Boulevard and The Muse expected to be completed by 2022, change is only a matter of time for St Kilda Rd.

kara.irving@news.com.au

@kara_irving

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/whats-turning-st-kilda-road-into-a-weekend-ghost-town/news-story/8b71f93214116e68f47917feb210069f