By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
FOR some Berwick shop owners, the Christmas rush is another year away as they struggle to make ends meet amid the High Street car park scramble.
This year will put a dampener on a third consecutive Christmas sales for Berwick shop owners with the $10.5 million Coles supermarket completion date blowing out three months.
Having battled the construction war zone since December last year president of the Rate Payers, Residents and Friends of Berwick Village Inc, Annette Aldersea, said some shop owners had had to take out a second job to cover their rent.
“Most businesses are averaging a passing trade of 30 to 50 per cent overall and closure is on the cards for some,” Ms Aldersea said.
“There are shop owners who have gone to Centrelink for financial support and others who have taken on a second job at night to keep the doors open- this has had an enormous financial and emotional strain on every business in the area.”
Owner of Berwick Curtain Nook on Adams lane, Ms Aldersea said after several broken promises concerning the closure of numerous surrounding car parks she decided a petition was in order.
“In just 10 days, we got 407 signatures, virtually every business on the south side of Berwick signed the petition and more than 300 customers,” she said.
Aware that the Coles opening date has been pushed back to March next year instead of December Ms Aldersea said reclaiming car parks of any kind is what the petition is about.
“We are down 180 car parks and the Langmore Lane area was supposed to be re-opened for use in October but it hasn’t,” she said.
Councillor Mick Morland said the situation was one of short term loss for long term gain when he presented the petition at a council meeting on Thursday 5 November.
“But that doesn’t make it any easier if you can’t pay your rent,” Cr Morland said.
The petition has requested for no new works to be carried out on existing car parks this year.
The City of Casey has confirmed that the first stage of the new Langmore Lane car park, along with the reinstatement of the Adams Lane parking will be available for use at the start of December.
These areas will provide about 130 extra car parks while the Coles wait continues into the new year.
