Can We Successfully Trade In String Bean Alley Without A Roof?

View down String Bean Alley November 2017

QVM is about to undergo a construction process to better equip our market for the long term. Construction on one side of the market will displace a large number of traders and some measures will be necessary to accommodate them on the other side of the market, including String Bean Alley.  

Fitting traders from A-D Sheds in J to M sheds during renewal will mean occupying the String Bean Alley side of L Shed but that can only be done with significant weather protection and that probably means a roof.

String Bean Alley is subject to weather and whilst the current containers on the south side of the alley are covered by a roof, the Northern side is exposed to the elements.

Aisles like the F Shed laneway are uncovered, and have their own unique weather protection problems, but they do have a roof over the trading area and offer significantly more shelter than SBA. As our lead photo shows, more than half the stall area on SBA is exposed to wind, sun and rain. The white lines show stall location.

This second photo shows E Shed on a day when strong winds were forecast. E Shed is a bit like L Shed in that traders can trade into the F Shed laneway with permanent shops on the other side of the lane, although in this case they have a roof out to the stall boundary. Traders despite being under cover, chose to stay home rather than trade in extreme weather. It should be noted that they can trade into E Shed itself, but they still choose to stay away. The point we are trying to make is that protection from weather is critical to stall operation to the extent that traders will give up income rather than face weather damage. A stall(s) without a roof cannot be contemplated for the vast majority of traders.

There is another element to this story and it relates to the inclusion of String Bean Alley into the market. That may sound strange because obviously SBA is within the market but traffic flow suggests that customer see it as more of a transit aisle than part of the trading area. One trader claims that SBA traffic flow runs at around 15% of that under the sheds. It has been suggested that J Shed used to be a transit aisle but the installation of a roof made it another trading aisle (probably as well as a thoroughfare) and a desirable space for retailing.

There are few guarantees here but it would seem likely that a roof over SBA would enhance its credentials as a retail drawcard and therefore its sales and rental value.

Let’s hope that designers don’t underestimate the need for adequate protection on this occasion. Traders, customers, and the reputation of our market require a professional solution.

Have Your Say - click here.

COMMENTS:
12/11/2017 20:31:26      weather protection          " I've been trading for nearly 40 years at the market and still waiting for some weather protection between the sheds. Wind, rain, sun and dust makes trading a lot more difficult than it already is. With the renewal upon us in the next few months I believe that is a "no brainer" to at the very least try to improve our trading conditions not only for us but more importantly for our customers. Hopefully management will show some leadership and push for a positive result than will benefit everyone with the market interest at heart."
Thanks for your input - Ed.

12/11/2017 22:39:26      Installation of a roof.     "I am surprised to witness this kind of discussion in the 21st century. If People don't wear hats anymore, it is logic that, they need a roof, to keep them to do shopping longer. What for? Since we start a discussion about renewal that was the first thing on the list, Priority Number One. Mandatory. But for some reasons, we are still going around. "      Mino
Thanks for your comments Mino. - Ed

Trading Hours Survey

Trader Representatives compiled a survey about trading hours back in August. The idea was to circulate the survey so that traders could express their views about this very important matter. We know that consumers have changed their buying habits but our market hours have not significantly changed for decades.

Some Trader Representatives circulated the survey to their aisles, but some didn't and now we are providing an opportunity for the traders who missed out to contribute to the debate. Please click on the following link and print out the survey. Alternatively you can pick up a copy from F1. Directions are on the survey.

TRADING HOURS SURVEY

Have Your Say - click here.

What Is Happening In Retail? - 12/11/2017

Card Only At Noodle Night Market – we came across an advertisement for the Noodle Night market which is a very successful food market held on the banks of the Yarra each year and drawing huge crowds. The postscript said that it was a plastic only market which is an interesting comparison with our own Winter Night Market where many food stalls had “Cash Only” signs. They have probably both got it wrong when it comes to consumer convenience.

Developments In Fresh Food – a very interesting article by the ABC documents the changes that are happening in fresh food in Australia and the competition from Amazon. - http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-11-04/amazons-pending-arrival-forces-online-retailers-to-compete/9115098

The Rise Of Daigou Stores – an article by Gary Mortimer of Queensland University in Inside Retail takes a look at the rise of daigou stores that tap in directly to the Chinese Market from Australian storefronts. - https://www.insideretail.com.au/blog/2017/11/06/chinese-personal-shoppers-have-created-a-new-type-of-retail-store-in-australia/

Amsterdam Fights Tourists – Amsterdam has 850, 000 residents but gets 18m visitors annually and the city is concerned that they are clogging the system. Specific concerns include the changing pattern of retailing away from local needs and more to tourist needs (that sounds familiar for QVM). An Amsterdam Marketing spokesperson said - "We are an open and tolerant city and we want to stay that [way] but we need people who are going to add something to the city and not just use the city,"

Shopping Centres Provide Online Pick-up Facilities – Westfield and Stockland have been active in providing postal and courier pick-up facilities within their centres. In a tie-up with Couriers Please, pick-up and return facilities, called POPStations, will be provided within centres for the use of participating retailers. Interestingly we have a report from the US that Target are insisting on a “No package pick-up facilities” clause in their shopping centre leases. Earlier this year, German grocery chain Lidl negotiated lease agreements that blocked "the operation of pickup facilities" by rivals like "Wal-Mart and Amazon" near its planned store on Long Island in New York.

Marks & Spencer to Correct “Drifting” Business – this article in the Guardian examines the famous department store’s response to poor performance by limiting their exposure to clothing sales and re-examining their food concepts. - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/08/marks-and-spencer-speeds-up-shut-down-of-clothing-scales-back-simply-food

Solomon Lew, Myer War On-going – The battle for the boardroom for Myer is always going to be full of accusations and counter accusations, and if you are into the intrigue, and don’t mind sifting through possible mis-truths, this article may be of interest - http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/solomon-lew-calls-for-former-myer-boss-terry-mccartneys-return-20171108-gzh61b.html

Retail Apocolypse – Warning, this article on US retailing by Bloomberg doesn’t make for happy reading and certainly points the finger at un-manageable debt levels for major retailers - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/markets/america%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98retail-apocalypse%E2%80%99-is-really-just-beginning/ar-BBEKzj5?ocid=News

One-liners –

1. ARA says latest retail sales figures “extremely frightening” in lead up to Christmas.

2. Ralph Laurens Asian sales rise slightly.

3. Sears to close 63 more stores.

4. Adairs plans new international website.

5. Alibaba becomes the world’s biggest e-commerce company.

6. Michael Kors says turnaround efforts beginning to take hold.

Have Your Say - click here.

QVM In The News - 12/11/2017

NEWS
	Do Tigers eat cheese? CDB News If you were at the Queen Victoria Market on Grand Final Saturday, you must have noticed the many stores decked out in Richmond colours. But the ...

NEWS
	Markets across Melbourne reinvent as communities and customers demand change Domain News Preston Market will this week have its first day of Sunday trade in its 45-year history, Queen Victoria Market is revamping its facilities in 2018 and ...

Push for a more pedestrian-friendly CBD CDB News Mr Rossiter also suggested Elizabeth St should become a pedestrian thoroughfare from Queen Victoria Market to Flinders Street Station, and that ...

NEWS
	COMMUNITY CALENDAR Star Weekly The 2017-18 Night Market returns to the Queen Victoria Market on November 15 and will run every Wednesday until April 11. Enjoy more than 60 ...

A Great Photo Of Our Market

QVM is a much photographed space and with good reason because the colours smells, sights and people are very enticing. But this is one of the best photographs we have seen in a while because it focuses on happy energetic traders. Love it!

Have Your Say - click here.

Positive Outlook For Melbourne's Markets Is A Must Read

This very positive article in the Melbourne Age paints a bright future for Melbourne's markets and their ability to tap into community expectations and aspirations. It focuses on Preston Market's inaugural Sunday opening but has a message for every market. QVM CEO Paul Guerra is quoted in the article along with other market people.

A must read for every trader and indeed every customer.

NEWS
	Markets across Melbourne reinvent as communities and customers demand change Domain News Preston Market will this week have its first day of Sunday trade in its 45-year history, Queen Victoria Market is revamping its facilities in 2018 and ... Have Your Say - click here.

How Market Traders Can Create That Shopping Experience

Retail advice is full of stuff about creating a shopping experience. So what does that mean and how do market traders get in on the act? The good news is that we can.

A men’s clothing store in New York gives you a shopping experience and you don’t actually walk out with any goods. Your shop assistant, sorry your “guide”, will discuss a whole range of clothing alternatives with you and “guide” you through various options including some personal style changes that you may not have thought of. The “guides” intimate knowledge of current trends makes sure you stay up to date with your clothing choices.

There is no standing at the checkout at the completion of the process. The “guide” will swipe your card on his mobile machine (a few of our traders do this with their mobile phone card checkout facilities) and then offer you a cup of coffee or glass of wine if you have time. Their intent is to make shopping easier for customers, particularly those who “hate shopping”. Your purchases are delivered later from a central warehouse so the customer is free to walk out having completed their shopping, enjoyed some expert advice, and get back into the day with delivery to happen in the background.

Other retailers adopting the “shopping experience” mantra include Nike with their mini basketball courts, Sephora with their “cast members” who sit with you at a digital make-up machine while you try various make-up effects, and Apple with their amazing stores and Genius Bars. Walmart are reportedly spending $2.7billion on training programs designed to improve the experience that their staff give to customers.

The really good news is that all these programs are built around knowledgeable people who can engage with customers. A market trader’s bread and butter is personal engagement, and getting that right, while offering convenience in ancillary services like payment and delivery, puts us on the same street as the big boys And we can do that without having to invest huge amounts in infrastructure although I bet all you sports shoe traders are working out how to put a basketball ring on your stall.  

Have Your Say – click here.

Heard Under The Sheds - 5/11/2017

Trader Relocation – has become a hot topic and although no trader will be moved before Christmas and there are many meetings to come, we understand that some traders have already been given an idea of where they may end up. At this stage those moves relate to filling empty stalls on the L Shed side of String Bean Alley.

String Bean Alley Roof – it would be difficult to imagine traders surviving the open spaces in String Bean Alley given exposure to wind, rain and sun. Presumably this will be a straight handball to the Renewal Project Team and CoM to make sure their construction project accomplishes the ongoing-trade guarantee with suitable basics like weather protection.

Celebrating Our New Traders – a trader thinks we should introduce an award for the new trader who seems to have been here forever. In other words, the new trader who has fitted into the trader community so well that he or she seems made for the place. And this trader has nominated Ronnie Z on String Bean Alley. Any others?

More Departures- rumour has it that 5 traders gave up stalls this week as the retail recession bites deeper. Not sure how many of those were multiple stall holders.

Prioritising Trader Retention – ironically after the previous item, a number of attendees at Tuesday’s information session were pleased that the New Market Pavilion ground floor stall area will be kept solely for current traders from A-M Sheds plus Queen St, giving current traders the best chance of surviving difficult times.

Long Service Leave - a long term trader was disappointed that his request to take some long service was disallowed by his Category Manager. We have suggested he take up CEO Paul Guerra’s advice – “If you don’t like the answer, ask again.”, and definitely put it in writing.

Two of our traders, who shall remain nameless (although they could be Irish), have come up with the amazing fact that if you take your year of birth, and add your current age you will get the answer 2017. And that applies to everybody who does the calculation. Give it a try.

Thieving Season - the security video at one of our trader's stalls picked up another thief on Saturday. The trader warns all traders to be on alert. This time the thief is a young lady with a child in a pram and fortunately, with timely action by the stall staff and our security staff the thief was apprehended elsewhere in the market and a variety of stock returned to traders. - https://vimeo.com/241387529

Have Your Say - click here.

What Happened In Retail This Week - 5/11/2017

VCAT Rejects Complaint About Developer Plans To Reduce Car Parking At Preston Market –

    “Where the resident objectors, Council and/or Dr Stanley urged us to find that the reduction of 99 publicly accessible on-site car parking spaces would automatically detract from the operation of the existing market, we regard this as an overly speculative and simplistic assertion. In such an exceptionally public transport-rich location, we see real weight to the Applicant’s submission that patrons of the market should be capable of gradually transitioning to other more sustainable forms of public transport. Whilst agreeing that some patrons may buy large quantities of food or fruit which they wish to drive home, surely there must be a range of reasons why patrons visit the central market area and not all of these patrons necessarily wish to take a large load home.”

Woolworths Sets The Pace Against Coles – Woolworths have recorded a 4.7% sales rise in food sales in the 14 weeks leading up to 1^st October while competitor Coles 1.5% increase in food and liquor sales. Big W showed a welcome return to sales growth with a 2.5% rise while Wesfarmers owned Target recorded a 6.4% sales decline.

David Jones Launches New Technology Category –  David Jones will open 8 new high-tech in-store departments featuring premium brands in audio visual and structuring their staffing for information intensive engagement with customers.

Myer Launches Marketplace –  Myer is to launch an online marketplace to compete with the likes of Amazon. It will be called Myer Market and key suppliers have already been called on board. The site will operate separately from Myer’s conventional website and will be part of a public publicity program in coming weeks. Vendors will be responsible for customer service although it is likely that Myer’s current store network could assist aspects like product returns. Myer says this is an interesting opportunity to move into complimentary areas of retail.

Catch Marketplace – The online market place says it is now recording sales of $1m per week.

Myer Reveals Sales Drop – Under intense pressure from major shareholder Solomon Lew, Myer has revealed the extent of its sales drop at this week’s company briefing and says sales in the 13 weeks leading up to 28^th October were down an additional 2.8% from last year. Myer has failed to achieve the goals set in its turnaround plan 2 years ago. Myer announced that it will introduce more “pop-up” food outlets in stores, open barber shops in Sydney and Melbourne and introduce more hair and beauty services.

Topshop – revives itself online.

Sportswear Brand, Under Armour – report that their sales dropped 12.1% in North America.

Sears Continues To Battle – US retail icon is reporting to be drastically cutting prices as it attempts to generate cash. Sears hasn’t returned a profit since 2006 and continues to close stores. It’s substantial property holdings offer support for recent finance borrowings.

Walmart Turns Holiday Shopping Into A Party – what do you do when you want to generate a customer experience that will tantalise a large percentage of the population? – you hold a party of course. Walmart intends to launch 20,000 parties across its stores in an attempt to attract more shoppers. At the parties, Walmart will put on 165,000 in-store toy demos, guide customers through their shopping lists and, organise visits from Santa Claus. It all sound like instore promotions to me but calling it a party has merit.

Nordstrom – says that half its business could be online within 5 years.

Amazon Australia Progress – a couple of online players have said they will definitely be joining the Amazon Marketplace with names like Kogan, Beacon Lighting and the local licensee for Calvin Klein, Van Heusen and Tommy Hilfiger reported to be considering their involvement. It is unclear exactly when Amazon will launch in Australia.

Starbucks – sells its tea brand, Tazo, to Unilever.

No Retail Apocalypse – A story on Forbes analyses that more retail stores are actually opening than closing. The author says this is not retail apocalypse but simply retail evolution. Modern technology, and things like social media, have created a speed of change that we have not previously experienced. Consumers are so quick to react to new trends and new attitudes that the retail industry simply has trouble keeping up. Here is the link to the full article - https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregmaloney/2017/10/23/retail-apocalypse-yawn/#69f53c2fdf2e

No Rebound In September Sales – after a savage 0.7% fall in Australian Retail Sales in August, many commentators had expected statistical bounce in the following month. That didn’t happen. The full three months to September showed a 0.3% decline. That is the first quarterly decline since 2012, and only the fourth since the global financial crisis set in.

Have Your Say - click here.

Questioning Our Trader Structure

The Herald-Sun article earlier this week that challenged the impasse between our Trader Representatives and QVM management has gained a big reaction. For many traders it highlights some of the issues with our current trader representative structure.

The sad thing is that most traders don’t know much about the intent or actions of their representatives.

An article on this website earlier in the week talked about stopping the blame game because essentially it just wastes time. Wasting time doesn’t make sense, unless you want to stop proceedings altogether and some of our Trader Representatives don’t seem to hide from that intent, although it is certainly not a mainstream trader view.

Long term Trader Representative Jenny Pyke has often said that traders should not be burdened with the task of analysing complex market matters and it is true that not many traders have the time, resources or training to contribute. There have been many attempts over the last decade to create a trader structure that could contribute at all levels in a debate, including a Trader Association, although for various reasons those attempts have failed. The latest attempt to put trader matters in the hands of a union has raised many objections, including whether it is appropriate for a union to represent a business or group of businesses.

The current trader representative structure was proposed by a group of traders and its intent was fine. It was to broaden trader involvement through regular aisle meetings that would perform a dual purpose of informing traders (information down) and giving traders a voice (information up). Those meetings have not happened, which has led to speculation that they were never really intended in the first place. That is a shame because the adding of resources created by greater trader involvement, and a bit more input from Trader Representatives, may have just created a worthwhile alternative to stone-walling or hand balling our issues to someone else.

Of course there needs to be some mutual respect here and this is where we struggle. Traders need to accept that some aspects of market planning demand expertise from, well .... experts. Management need to understand that some aspects of market planning require signing off by those on the ground. This is not rocket science although there is always going to be someone who wants more control over proceedings than others are prepared to give. Sometimes the complex structure we have at QVM - Traders, Management, and CoM – is the culprit. Productive face to face discussion and the ability to reach a deal is often the victim with structures like that.

All traders want is real improvements, both long and short term, that will enable us to profit from new consumer attitudes and practices, and address the predatory competition we are facing from many outside sources.

Some of our key Trader Representatives want things left as they are, and that is not good. Maybe Traders need to be part of a different revolution –one that replaces old style thinking with focused action - action that looks to the future not the past - action that embraces our entrepreneurial roots and looks for solutions rather than withdrawing from discussion, building walls, or at best hand-balling our problems to others.

By Greg Smith

Have Your Say – click here.

QVM In The News - 5/11/2017

NEWS
	Lord mayor Robert Doyle's top five achievements since taking office Domain News The Queen Victoria Market renewal project is something I have been focused on since my first term when a group of traders visited my office to tell me ...

NEWS
	Savage reaction to permit bid CDB News The council's application for a heritage permit for its Queen Victoria Market (QVM) ambitions marks a line in the sand in the political battle against the ...

Plane Trees Are A Real Problem

There has been much speculation over the health risks associated with Plane Trees particularly at this time of year and last Sunday’s wind and pollen event was the last straw for those traders who are particularly allergic to airborne irritants.

Of course customers are also impacted and when our market is surrounded by Plane Trees, including those on our doorstep in Queen St. the problem is magnified. 

Apparently not everyone is affected by Plane Trees, in fact the population is less likely to be affected by these trees than say Rye Grass, but when the pollen and irritating fibres accumulate like they did last Sunday, the impact can be severe. Our photo overstates the level of pollen and fibres but the need for face masks was very real.

In a report a few years back, Sydney academic, Professor Euan Tovey, said - “that while plane tree pollen doesn't cause as many allergies as most people presumed, their trichomes were a powerful irritant.” ''Those white hairy things,'' he said, pointing at microscopic fibres on the back of the plane tree's leaves, ''are very sharp. They're trichomes. They come off and float off in the air. '' The report said that “more research was needed but it was very likely it was the trichomes that were causing the bulk of the problems, especially given intense exposure could make symptoms worse. That could explain why arborists often complained about plane trees. Another problem was the trichome season, running for about 12 weeks from September to November, was twice as long as the pollen season for six weeks from late August.”

Another report said – “Last year complaints from members of the public and business owners on Melbourne's popular Lygon Street coffee strip prompted the local council to trial hormone injections and sprays to try to reduce the amount of pollen the trees produce. It had little impact, so some Melbourne and Sydney councils have opted to phase out plane trees altogether.”

We understand that CoM have a policy of replacing damaged Plane Trees with other varieties but maybe they need to be more pro-active, at least around Queen Victoria Market where such a large number of people are gathered in a small area. A deliberate cull of let’s say 100 PlaneTrees per year should be manageable in the city budget.

Have Your Say – click here.

COMMENTS:
06/11/2017 19:09:50      Plane Trees   " It would really be a stupid decision by the powers that be ,if they don’t take the opportunity now , with the renovations, to replace them with some other trees. They are the curse of Melbourne city.   No wonder Melbourne has been found to be the worst city in the world for allergic seasonal ailments."       Andy
Thanks for your input Andy. It is a good time for replacements to be installed.- Ed

An Offer Traders Can’t Refuse

We are sometimes accused of being pro-management on this website (we would prefer to call it balanced😇) but this is a great offer from the QVM Marketing Team that can give real benefits to traders.

We all know that we must have an online presence, that modern consumers demand some form of online contact. But it is all too hard, right? Wrong!!!

The QVM Marketing Team are offering Digital Packages under the Marketing Cooperative Program that gets you one on one with an experienced digital person and helps you through the process of establishing your own online presence. You don’t have to set up a complex product delivery process, you may simply choose to offer a basic click-and-collect-at-my-stall service.

Every trader can do this. Details are in the latest Marketing Email or go straight to this link to get the ball rolling - http://www.qvm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Co-Operative-Marketing-Packages-Application-Form.pdf

Seriously, this is a good opportunity. If you have been thinking about establishing an online presence, now is the time. See you online soon.

Renewal Relocation Plan Released

At Tuesday's information session around 30 QVM traders received an overview of the timetable for stall relocations when construction starts on the facilities under sheds A-D. Another meeting will be held at the Engagement Hub on Thursday 2nd November and remaining traders are invited to attend.

No traders will be moved before Christmas 2017 and in the meantime there will be relocation meetings specifically for A and B Shed traders on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th November followed by meetings for General Merchandise Traders on Tuesday 21st November and Thursday 23rd November.

A meeting to give details about how to apply for a stall in the New Market Pavilion (Expressions of Interest) will take place on Tuesday 28th November.
See article http://www.victraders.com/2017/11/exciting-opportunity-for-general.html

A plan showing stall positioning can be seen in the following photo. Some highlights have been identified as follows -

1. Stalls will be positioned on the L Shed side of String Bean Alley.
2. The New Market Pavilion in Queen St. will hold 8 Fruit & Vegetable stalls and 22 General Merchandise Stalls.
3. Four stalls for General Merchandise traders will be positioned adjacent to Therry St.

Traders will be able to make a more detailed examination of the plan at Thursday's meeting in the Engagement Hub at 3:00pm and at meetings later in November.

Have Your Say - click here.

Exciting Opportunity For General Merchandise Traders In New Pavilion

At the recent World Union of Wholesale Markets Congress in Melbourne, three international markets (Pike Place, Burrough Market, Rotterdam Market) said that parts of their market experienced sales upturn during renewal construction and a number of their traders prospered.

Hopefully the whole of QVM will have that experience but one of the best spots to experience customer focus is likely to be the $5m New Market Pavilion to be constructed in Queen St. early next year, and there are 22 spots up for grabs for General Merchandise Traders. The NMP is designed to ease the squeeze in the top end as construction starts on the underground facilities under A-D Sheds.

Expressions of Interest will be invited from current traders in Sheds A-M and on Queen Street and at Tuesday’s Engagement session some of the details were released.

1.     Only traders in A-M and Queen St. will be accepted into the pavilion. It is expected that there will be 22 General Merchandise and 8 Fruit & Vegetable Traders.

2.     There are two key criteria – Fresh & Seasonal and Aussie Made. Applicants will need to fit into either of those categories. Management actually encourage traders to come up with new ideas for Aussie Made content if that is not already in their offer.

3.     Licences for GM are expected to operate for 12 months so that the pavilion content can be reviewed each year (a bit like the night market). Fruit & Vegetable licences will operate until the underground is completed.

4.     Traders who decide not to continue in the pavilion or are not offered a new pavilion license will be guaranteed a spot back under the sheds.

5.     This is not an opportunity to set up an additional stall.  Due to space restrictions, successful pavilion traders will need to give up their spot under the sheds while in the pavilion.

6.     It is hoped that the pavilion will operate during the Wednesday Night market and strong consideration is also being given to a Thursday Night Market.

7.     The pavilion will be a showcase for what is best about QVM and offer enhanced display facilities for traders (a bit like the Therry St. Marquee a few years back).

Expressions of Interest for the NMP will open on Monday 27^th November and close on 18^th January 2018. Further details will become available during November.

Have Your Say – click here.

This Blame Game Needs To Stop

It is said that any publicity is good publicity . But the rather sad picture in Monday’s Herald-Sun of 6 traders who want to blame the retail recession on the QVM Renewal process does little to help traders and unfortunately denigrates our market.

Playing politics might be fine for some minority groups associated with the market, but traders need positive action and a willingness to start working on all the one-percenters that may successfully lead us to a brighter future. We can only say “may lead to success” because there are many very professional retail entities in this world who are currently struggling with the same problem and many who have failed - Borders, Colorado, Dick Smith, Payless Shoes, Pumpkin Patch, Topshop, are just some of those in Australia.

To suggest that declining trade and empty stalls is somehow caused by QVM Renewal is just stupid. It is perfectly clear to the majority of traders that we are victims of many different disrupters - changing consumer preferences, shrinking disposable incomes, intense online competition, predatory activity by strong retail competitors - and the list goes on.

Management are not without fault. Neither is the City of Melbourne, nor traders themselves. We would all love to find the one thing that will fix our problems. If simply blaming the City of Melbourne or QVM Management was the answer to trader’s problems it would be fantastic. But this is not simple. Battling retail recession is incredibly complex and requires lots of focus and energy on many issues. The answer for traders is not to dumb down the problem and find someone else to blame, but to work co-operatively, and energetically towards solutions.

Let's make it clear - QVM Renewal is a response to retail decline, not the cause, as the Herald -Sun article suggests. It is time our Trader Representatives got back to the discussion table and we got on with a difficult task. They will need lots of help from traders (maybe more than they have received so far) and a sympathetic hearing from management. Only the focused and committed are going to survive this, and fortunately hard-nosed determination is a strong trader quality.

By Greg Smith

Have Your Say - click here.

COMMENTS:

02/11/2017 17:08:20      This blame game needs to stop  "The article refers to lack of consultation and trader frustration due to being ignored by management.  There are only two quotes provided by traders -

There’s a complete lack of consultation,’’ Mr Graczyk said.

And K Shed trader Robyn Faulkner said one or two businesses a week were leaving because of the uncertainty. “We have no bloody idea what management is doing,’’ she said.

Whilst I wish the negativity around the market would disappear, none of the traders in this article have blamed management for their downturn, they are expressing frustration at a lack of involvement in the consulting process. Your editorial has gone on a completely different tangent."

Interesting – you see the Herald Sun article as being about lack of consultation and trader frustration and I saw it as an attempt to blame retail decline on the renewal process. I guess the line - "business has slumped by 20 per cent since the redevelopment process began" may have influenced the Victraders article. The “slump” and the “redevelopment” are not connected and it is wrong to connect them.

Incidentally, both Mr.Grazyk and Robyn Faulkner are technically incorrect in their statements. There has been some consultation and we do have some bloody idea of what management is doing. It is all a matter of degree. Consultation can mean being told very little through to completely controlling the process. Frustration will probably be present no matter what happens because our future is unpredictable.

The point is that withdrawing from discussions and blaming the other side gets nowhere. While our competitors focus on all the one-percenters that need attention we are wasting time on blame. That doesn’t make sense and so the Victraders article premise remains. We have to stop the blame game and get on with solutions. Thanks for your input. This is a worthwhile debate. – Ed.