Hobart inner city parking rates plummet to unprecedented new lows

CBD Shopkeepers are feeling the hurt as Hobart’s on-street parking occupancy rates plummet to unprecedented lows. THE GRIM STATISTICS >>

Shopkeepers say the inner city feels like a “ghost town” as Hobart’s parking occupancy rates plummet to unprecedented lows.

Hobart City Council figures show their off-street parking usage has shrunk to about one seventh of its pre-border-opening levels.

GHOST TOWN: Sachie Cafe owners Satoko Takano and Caroline Delandre say foot traffic has plummeted since the border reopening. Picture: Kenji Sato

On-street parking occupancy has also sunk to about 40 per cent, with a noticeable downwards spike starting from December 15 onwards.

Sachié cafe owner Satoko Takano said Elizabeth Street was now eerily quiet at a time when it would normally be jam-packed with cars.

Ms Takano said the loss in foot traffic was seriously hurting her business.

“We’re getting maybe half of what we normally get, and because the government doesn’t provide that much help it’s even worse than in 2020 when we had JobKeeper,” she said.

“We have to keep the staff somehow but we’re not making enough profits, so that’s a challenge for us.”

GHOST TOWN: An eerily quiet Elizabeth Street on a Friday afternoon. Picture: Kenji Sato

Bar Wa Izakaya owner Richard Hensens said the number of cars on the street was usually a good indicator of how busy the day was going to be.

These days Mr Hensens said the streets were empty, even with Mona Foma around the corner.

“It’s a ghost town. It’s just empty, and it doesn’t seem like there’s anything going on,” Mr Hensens said.

“We used to be pretty much full at least once during the day, but now we’re lucky to have it a third full.”

Hobart City Council mayor Anna Reynolds said there was typically a dip in traffic in the city in January, but never to this extent.

Councillor Reynolds said it was clear that the Omicron strain was having serious a toll on inner city events and businesses.

“I think we are hearing from people that things are a lot quieter than they normally would be in summer because people are stocking closer to home,” Cr Reynolds said.

“There has been a self-imposed lockdown that many people in Hobart have been following in the last few weeks of the new year.”

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