[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[Hooligan]

I have always found Woollies Liquor overpriced. Dan Murphies is the way to go...

...which is owned by Woolworths. "

Liquorland is owned by Coles-Myer.

And that matters why?

[Straze]

They did say that Woolworths Liquor might be moving to another location in the CBD though but no specific details on where that will be. The snackbar wasnt doing so well anyway as there is many food courts in Rundle Mall to choose from, there are also many internet cafes to compete with in the CBD. Self checkouts are okay but nothing beats good old fashion customer service from a real person, i mean just look at Foodland they havent introduced any self checkouts in any of their stores and they are doing quite well taking over Coles.

[AtD]

So basically they knock anyone's attempt to get a liquor license and now aren't even going to sell alcohol. Thanks Woolies.

It's great that Woolies gets a say in other company's liquor licensing. Woolies are obviously looking out for the community and have no conflict of interest.

[rhino]

I have always found Woollies Liquor overpriced. Dan Murphies is the way to go...

...which is owned by Woolworths. "

Is that right? I know Woolworths owns BWS, I didn't realize they also own Dan Murphys.

[pushbutton]

I have always found Woollies Liquor overpriced. Dan Murphies is the way to go...

...which is owned by Woolworths. "

Is that right? I know Woolworths owns BWS, I didn't realize they also own Dan Murphys.

They do, and obviously Woolworths Liquor, so they have 3 brands.

[SRW]

So basically they knock anyone's attempt to get a liquor license and now aren't even going to sell alcohol. Thanks Woolies.

I don't think I've heard about this? Did Woolies prevent (or attempt to prevent) liquor licensing of other venues in the Mall/City?

Is that right? I know Woolworths owns BWS, I didn't realize they also own Dan Murphys.

Unfortunately, yes. Woolies owns Dan Murthy's and BWS as well as (through their majority stake in ALH) local favourites such as the Belgian Beer Cafe, the Ramsgate, the Archer and so on.

Meanwhile, Wesfarmers (since taking over Coles) owns Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and 1st Choice Liquor as well as Spirit Hotels including Brighton Metro, the Hampstead and others.

Independent retailers are few.

[Stubbo]

I knew that Dan's was owned by Woollies, what I dont understand is that Dan's is usually substantially cheaper, its not like Woollies is a premium brand...

Maybe Skye Cellers is independent? Not sure, also what about Fassina?

On Topic, I would assume that the Harris Scarfe redevelopment would bring in more people between Grenfell and Rundle Mall, like City Cross but more substantial.

On the pavers used in the mall, I have seen numerous garbage trucks (the ones with the robotic side arm to collect wheelie bins) driving down rundle mall (or accross) to collect rubbish. That would surely do a significant amount of damage given the weight.

[Will]

From the Messenger:

Push for holiday trading to make Mall tourist mecca

newsCouncil06 May 10 @ 12:01pm by Emily Charrison



There's plenty of pressure being applied to ensure Rundle Mall isn't a ghost town on public holidays.


PRESSURE is mounting on the State Government to declare Rundle Mall a designated tourist precinct, allowing it to trade on public holidays.

Key players in the tourism industry, the City Council and Rundle Mall Management Authority (RMMA) say the Mall - like Glenelg - should be a tourist zone under the Shop Trading Hours Act.

The RMMA, which represents about 700 Mall retailers, is now in talks with the government to change the law so traders can open if they want on selected public holidays, such as Adelaide Cup, Easter Monday and the Queen’s Birthday. Under the current law, shops with a floor space of less than 200sq/m, or those selling exempt goods such as hardware, are allowed to trade on public holidays.

RMMA acting chairman Richard Hayward said the Mall attracted 85 per cent of tourists who came to the CBD, or 23 million people a year, and generated $800 million in annual sales turnover.

“It’s hard to understand why Glenelg is a tourist precinct and the Mall is not,” Mr Hayward, a City councillor, said. “If 85 per cent of tourists visit Rundle Mall then it’s a tourist precinct.”

The City Council voted at last week’s meeting to continue discussions with the government following a motion by Cr Ralph Clarke.

A staff report to the meeting stated the argument for designating the strip a tourist precinct was “indeed compelling”.

Cr Clarke said there was “no logical reason” for the strip not to be declared a major tourist hub for SA.

“It’s nonsense that people can come to the city in their tens of thousands to visit the zoo, the botanic gardens, the museum and the art gallery but not be able to shop in Rundle Mall,” he said after the meeting.

South Australian Tourism Industry Council CEO Ward Tilbrook said opening Rundle Mall on public holidays would benefit the entire state.

“It could bring a bit of life back into the city.”

Adelaide Convention Bureau CEO Damien Kitto said public holiday trading would “add to the experience” of business visitors who are in town for conventions.

Industrial Relations Minister Paul Holloway said the government had already reviewed trading and denied there was enough demand for an extension: “We believe the balance is right.”

[Omicron]

They did say that Woolworths Liquor might be moving to another location in the CBD though but no specific details on where that will be. The snackbar wasnt doing so well anyway as there is many food courts in Rundle Mall to choose from, there are also many internet cafes to compete with in the CBD. Self checkouts are okay but nothing beats good old fashion customer service from a real person, i mean just look at Foodland they havent introduced any self checkouts in any of their stores and they are doing quite well taking over Coles.

There was an internet cafe and snack bar in Woolworths Rundle Mall?

And as for the self-service checkouts, as a checkout wench from time to time myself, I'm firmly of the opinion that my role is entirely dependent on me being faster and more efficient than a machine. The key difference is that I can multi-task and problem-solve, whereas the machine can't do either.

[Prince George]

Push for holiday trading to make Mall tourist mecca

...

The RMMA, which represents about 700 Mall retailers, is now in talks with the government to change the law so traders can open if they want on selected public holidays, such as Adelaide Cup, Easter Monday and the Queen’s Birthday. Under the current law, shops with a floor space of less than 200sq/m, or those selling exempt goods such as hardware, are allowed to trade on public holidays.

I can appreciate what a difference all-day Saturday trading must have made (and that was only in 1976, if I understand right) and likewise partial Sunday trading, but now we're talking about less than 10 extra days a year - realistically, probably only five of them.

Could someone shed some light on which shops fall inside/outside the exemptions? 200sqm sounds like a fairly large shop, so do we have a list of ones that would be above & below that mark?

Personally, I don't understand the retail tourism mentality. In almost every case, Rundle Mall is selling products that are available practically everywhere, and in many cases from exactly the same shops - it's not like we're the home of FCUK or L'Occitane. I've asked before - what are the shops or products that are specific to Adelaide, the ones that a tourist might say "when you're in Adelaide, you have to go to X"? Are there any on Rundle Mall, and are any of them greater than 200sqm? Or am I completely off the mark and tourists actually want to go to Crazy Johns and the Hairhouse Warehouse?

[crawf]

Many of the shops argue that because Myer, David Jones, Target, Woolworths, Harris Scrafe etc are not allowed to trade on public holidays then there is no point of them opening due to the majors having greater pulling power.

As many have said (including myself) its pretty ridicolous that Glenelg and Harbourtown can trade on public holidays yet the state's main retail precinct has to remain shut?!

If I was tourist I would much rather shop or spend time in the city, then travel to a cheap and nasty brand direct shopping mall full of rip offs which you can find in every other city. But then again majorty of tourists probably have no idea that Glenelg/Harbourtown are open on public holidays!

Even the Perth CBD is a designated tourist zone , and that is coming from a city that is more behind than Adelaide in terms of retail trading laws.Then you've got places like Mt Barker, Whyalla, Renmark, Mt Gambier, Mildura etc that are more relaxed than Adelaide.

[monotonehell]

...I can appreciate what a difference all-day Saturday trading must have made (and that was only in 1976, if I understand right) and likewise partial Sunday trading...

Saturday afternoon trading started in the late 80s/early 90s. I can't remember exactly when but after 1989 for sure. I remember having to get out of bed before lunch time if I wanted to go to the shops then.

[Port Adelaide Fan]

Mall shoppers want a revamp with balls

CITY shoppers want longer trading hours for Rundle Mall stores, a visible and stronger security presence, restaurants in the Mall's laneways and the whole place spruced up and kept clean.

A study of 500 shoppers, retailers and landlords reveals that our mall - Australia's longest pedestrian shopping strip - lacks decent shade, toilets and cheap parking, and has a boring mix of retail stores.

The study, spearheaded by planning firm Connor Holmes, is the first stage in shaping a new blueprint and strategy to save the mall in response to criticisms from traders that the mall has become stagnant and sub-standard.

Adelaide City Council is expected to award a $250,000 contract this month to a private firm to develop a new mall masterplan before the end of the year.

It is unclear how much it would cost to deliver the outcomes, but last year the Sunday Mail reported that the Rundle Mall Management Authority had demanded the State Government fund a "multimillion-dollar" overhaul of the precinct.

The council is reportedly in negotiations to sell its Grenfell St car park to the owners of the Harris Scarfe building. The sale profits would then be expected to be channelled into Rundle Mall's redevelopment.

Rundle Mall general manager and former Youthworks fashion store owner Martin Haese said the time for talking about the mall was over and now was "time for action".

"I think we've got one shot. There's been a lot of growing disquiet about the inaction," he said.

"This (masterplan) will be done, but we can't afford it then to be left on the shelf. This is in my view non-negotiable, it has to happen if people want to preserve the mall.

"The reason we are doing this (masterplan) is we believe that Rundle Mall has suffered with a very piecemeal approach to its development for a long time and what we want to do is arrest it. Nobody is painting an overall picture and that's what we need to do."

He said trading hours continued to be a main priority among those surveyed, with many supporting opening on certain public holidays and extended trading during summer.

The RMMA has been lobbying the Government to declare Rundle Mall a tourist precinct under the Shop Tradings Act, as Glenelg is, allowing the area to trade on public holidays.

RMMA acting chairman and city councillor Richard Heyward said the council had developed a masterplan, in 2003, but it never saw "the light of day".

"The success of this masterplan is it needs to be realistic and therefore achievable, rather than a huge scheme we know that's never going to get up," he said.

MALL MUSINGS

THE study's main findings:

* * 43 PER CENT of people preferred shopping at suburban shopping centres;

* * NEARLY two-thirds of city workers did not shop in the mall;

* * ONE-in-five shoppers spent less than 30 minutes in the mall;

* * SHOPPERS wanted tougher enforcement of anti-social behaviour;

* * RETAILERS thought the mall's appearance, access and mix of tenants was "average or below average"

* * PROPERTY owners said the mall should be open on public holidays and have more entertainment and cafes on side-streets to bring in night-time trade.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/mall-shop ... 5864041941

[Vee]

From the Messenger:

Push for holiday trading to make Mall tourist mecca
There's plenty of pressure being applied to ensure Rundle Mall isn't a ghost town on public holidays.

PRESSURE is mounting on the State Government to declare Rundle Mall a designated tourist precinct, allowing it to trade on public holidays.

This is absolutely critical for a large, modern city such as Adelaide. Critical for visitors, critical for our economy, critical for our reputation as a modern and vibrant city and a great place to live.

21st century jobs are not the 9-5, Mon-Fri variety and there are plenty of folk willing and able to work P/T, casual or otherwise. Students, the underemployed, recently retired, visitors on working visas etc. can boost the workforce as needed. Add more imagination and innovation to the mix to attract people to the city/CBD.

It's not a problem for Glenelg, lots of country towns, services and facilities such as hospitals, transport, hotels etc and the zoo to be open on public holidays. But closed shops, an empty mall, forlorn surrounding streetscapes and puzzled visitors do nothing for our image and even less for our economy.

Let commonsense prevail!

[Wayno]

Well said Veemur!

Also, I never really thought about what the ACC might do with the ~$150m from the Grenfell St car park sale. Channeling into a major Rundle Mall & alleys makeover would be fantastic! although, perhaps some cash should go to VSQ, the parklands, central markets, etc...

*sigh* so much to do - so little cash...

On the other hand $150m in a 7% term deposit earns $10m per year (forever). Call it the Adelaide Future Fund!