Shepparton CBD appears desolate. The COVID-19 virus is having a major impact on a central business district that was already groaning under pressure.
Traders, the chamber of commerce and the city council are all looking at ways to revive the area that has fallen out of favour in preference to outskirt shopping plazas but the virus has managed to decimate all efforts. There was some respite during the Christmas period when parking fees were suspended. People frequently expressed an upturn in confidence about shopping in the CBD without the added cost of paying for the privilege, even for a few minutes. Shoppers began to return only to revert back once the complimentary parking ceased.
The Greater Shepparton City Council has proposed a redevelopment of the Maude Street Mall adding some car parks and through traffic. Not everyone is happy about the design or agrees with the proposal.
As the means of addressing the virus take hold, businesses after business are closing their doors, no longer viable with greatly reduced trade or constrained by the closure regulations now being enforced.
While retail trades are being affected across the city, the CBD is particularly hard hit. Growth was beginning to take place with an increasing number of cafes and food stores however that has stopped temporarily and in some cases it may well be permanent.
With traffic in the CBD in the order of ten percent of what usually passes through, some angst has been directed towards the ever zealous parking inspectors passing out infringement notices in an ever depressed landscape.
This is no longer business as usual. As much as the Federal and State Governments are bringing forward huge stimulus packages and foregoing income generation where applicable, it is incumbent on the city council to follow suit.
The impact of the virus may take years from which to recover and the council should no longer consider their position to be isolated from the rest of the community. While business and many in the community have a much reduced income, council has to be in lockstep.
The desolate scenes of downtown Shepparton are depressing. Everything to encourage shoppers to the area, everything required to subsidise trade in the precinct must be a priority.
