City Hall dodges questions on workers’ CBD return as retailers cry out for patronage

The extent of the patronage crisis making Geelong CBD’s post-Covid recovery move at a snail’s pace can be seen in analysis of shop vacancies in the city centre.

Up to 40 shops have been left empty across Geelong’s CBD with remaining businesses pleading for more people to return to the city.

Last week it was unveiled that at least 40 ground-level stores were left vacant throughout Ryrie, Moorabool, Malop and Little Malop streets, with many now on the market.

Moorabool St is the hardest hit with 18 shops unoccupied, followed by Ryrie St (ten), Malop St (seven) and Little Malop St (five).

It’s one more vacancy than Moorabool St had this time last year, while Malop St had four and Little Malop St three vacancies.

Only spaces on Ryrie St are more filled, down from 13 in 2020.

Westend manager Cam O’Keefe said traders located on Little Malop Street have been relying on dinner services to generate revenue, with many no longer opening during the day due to a lack of office workers.

He said they are not anticipating the lunch rush to pick up again until February.

“I think large businesses like TAC and WorkSafe need to be encouraging their workers to get back into the office,” he said.

Cafe Savvy Geelong

“In Melbourne’s CBD there is this great atmosphere and CBD culture that everyone loves but we are at risk of losing that here if the office workers don’t come back.

“There is a lot of traders and lot of landlords who have done such a tremendous job of creating this inner-city culture and I think we are really at risk of losing it.”

Bahaa Mohtar co-owner of 7 Origins opened his new venue on the corner of Yarra and Malop Streets in late July, in a spot referred to as Geelong’s most visible street corner.

“People are getting used to working from home and living in a virtual world and that is certainly a problem,” he said.

“We rely on people coming into the offices and that is making it very hard for us.

“There should be more incentives for people to come into the office and make the city alive.”

Major employer, City of Greater Geelong has revealed its more than 800 CBD-based employees would not be returning to the office full-time as organisations continue to embrace flexible working arrangements to “attract and retain” staff.

Since working from home became prominent during the Covid-19 pandemic, Josh Reid from Cafe Savvy on Moorabool Street said business has struggled.

“Basically, we are down to a third of what our previous revenue was and there is nowhere near as much foot traffic,” he said.

“Going of the statistics we had pre-Covid — coffee wise, food wise it is all just really low in comparison.

“We are still waiting for people to come back to the offices, even now with the restrictions being eased, it is still really quiet.”

Bill Votsaris, owner of several buildings throughout Little Malop Street said businesses were merely surviving.

“People aren’t in business to survive people are in business because they need to grow,” he said.

“I don’t think there needs to be an incentive to come back to the CBD, but we don’t need a deterrent and currently that’s what we have.

“I think confidence in government and the rules is the first step.”

Geelong council refuses to detail worker’s return to city plans

City Hall has refused to say if it plans to entice staff back to the struggling CBD, while leaders at Melbourne council are actively encouraging employees to work on site.

The City of Melbourne confirmed around half its staff had returned to working on site, with chief executive Justin Hanney saying the return of workers to the CBD was essential to its survival.

But the City of Greater Geelong, which is building a new $220m Civic Precinct, is yet to commit to a permanent return of staff to its offices.

Chief executive officer Martin Cutter has repeatedly refused to reveal how many of its more than 800 CBD-based employees are working on site.

City of Geelong CEO Martin Cutter. Picture: Mike Dugdale

City of Greater Geelong admin HQ on Brougham St. Picture: Alison Wynd

When asked by the Geelong Advertiser this month if more staff would return to civic offices now the state had surpassed its 90 per cent double vaccination target, the city did not provide a new response. Instead it referred the Addy to responses provided in May and October.

Under the current state government Covid restrictions fully vaccinated workers can return to the office and masks are not required.

In October, Mr Cutter said the city had promoted flexibility and “moved to a workplace model that combines office-based work and off-site arrangements for our employees”.

“Flexibility policies improve effective delivery of services and help to attract and retain talent,” Mr Cutter said.

Meanwhile, City of Melbourne chief executive officer Mr Hanney said staff were committed to returning to the CBD.

“A majority of our staff are already working in the city, and these numbers will increase dramatically over the coming weeks now that wearing masks in the office is no longer mandated by government,” Mr Hanney said.

“The Lord Mayor and the City of Melbourne are actively engaging with city employers to encourage as many of their workers to return to their city offices as soon and as frequently as possible – and this can only happen if we continue to lead by example.”

City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stephanie Asher said yesterday flexible work arrangements were “now necessary” in order to attract and retain the best talent.

“That said, my understanding is that more City of Greater Geelong employees have been working from the office since restrictions allowed people other than authorised workers to go in,” she said.

“I’d expect this number will steadily increase across all government organisations based in Central Geelong.”

Melbourne Mayor Sally Capp has been vocal on the importance of getting workers back to offices.

Moorabool St traders are desperate for more foot traffic. Picture: Alison Wynd

“Masks are off indoors. We know masks were a huge physical barrier to returning to city workplaces – that barrier is gone,” Ms Capp said in November.

Last month Property Council Australia’s Geelong committee chairman Nat Anson called on key organisations to “show leadership” by encouraging staff to work onsite as soon as possible.

“They have built and are building large civic buildings to house those employees because they know how important they are to the CBD,” he said.

“Now is an opportunity for them, as stakeholders, to lead.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Friday he would not mandate set days for Geelong’s public sector workers to return to in-office work.

“What we know from the last time we opened up … the average was three days a week. So we’re confident that there won’t be a need to mandate that.

“We will finish up with people back at their desks, on average, three days a week.”

Originally published as City Hall dodges questions on workers’ CBD return as retailers cry out for patronage