Where to now?

 

By Shane Wylie - Docklands Chamber of Commerce

If I had the answer, I’d have probably ordered a warehouse full of masks like our good friends and members – the HoF hotel – please contact them for good, cheap bulk supplies.

But I don’t and no one realistically does. What Melbourne and Docklands has seen is that there is no foreseeable end to this until a vaccine and/or a cure is released.

The winners

Market Lane at The District Docklands has literally changed my life. What was a once per week shopping trip, car, bags, parking fees, etc., is now a daily social outing of sorts.

I specifically only shop daily now as it’s an outing and I have loved the new shops popping up. As I write this, I am planning a cheese raid on Gourmet Deli House while munching on a Roast Pork Banh Mi from The Humble Baker. There’s a few more to open in coming weeks and I’ve made note on our socials and website that the Woolworths is one of the few places to not have been stripped of basic supplies during the entire lockdowns.

The losers

In a recent survey, some 92 per cent of businesses are seeing a downturn but who I feel for most at current are the businesses in Victoria Harbour, specifically the cafés and lunch restaurants. These businesses were dependent on some 60,000 ANZ, NAB and Myer staff daily. There are another 25,000 employees who join them in Docklands every day but are currently not. Small family operations like Vin Tam have continued, the others haven’t and if you look at it realistically, who can see sunlight at the end of the tunnel?

NAB has mothballed its Victoria Harbour building, possibly permanently. This is the new world and not one of us knows where it is going, only that we will never ever be the same.

What the Chamber is doing

Without events on the horizon, every single effort of ours is currently focused on supporting our members through grant applications, advertising through socials and our newsletter and liaising with the City of Melbourne on their behalf. We’re still exploring a permanent activation of the Harbour with the council and Development Victoria, but obviously other issues are taking priority. Our members and residents are always our priority •

Tram stops for pedestrians?

Tram stops for pedestrians?

February 28th, 2024 - Dr Elek Pafka
Join Our Facebook Group