Thanks for nothing, say shops forced to ship out by GPT plan

By Brett Cox
Updated November 5 2012 - 6:31pm, first published September 18 2008 - 4:02am
Stressful: Sonja Daly of McAndrew's Florist shop said it was difficult shifting from their premises.
Stressful: Sonja Daly of McAndrew's Florist shop said it was difficult shifting from their premises.
Bing Lee will now be staying after GPT's decision to shelve its redevelopment plans.
Bing Lee will now be staying after GPT's decision to shelve its redevelopment plans.
Sean Thakur of Mobile Gallery, which relocated to Crown St from the Keira St corner two years ago because it was afraid of being caught out at the last minute by the proposed GPT retail development. Pictures: SYLVIA LIBER
Sean Thakur of Mobile Gallery, which relocated to Crown St from the Keira St corner two years ago because it was afraid of being caught out at the last minute by the proposed GPT retail development. Pictures: SYLVIA LIBER
Empty: Signs and vacant shops are all that can be seen of the West Keira project.
Empty: Signs and vacant shops are all that can be seen of the West Keira project.

THE GPT Group's latest development plans, for a ghost town in the heart of Wollongong, have frustrated business owners who were earlier forced to relocate.The west side of Keira St, being prepared just days ago for a CBD shopping revolution, looks set to remain a strip of locked doors, empty stores and colourless windows, with cardboard signs advising of new shop addresses.GPT will try to sign new tenants until construction begins in two years - or later - but the experiences of those forced to move for last month's expected starting date may be a disincentive.Sonja Daly, who shifted her McAndrew's Florist shop west along Crown St in May, said it had been hard to move from her home of 10 years in Keira St."I'm happy that we're here now, but I feel like saying 'sucked in' to them," Ms Daly said."It cost us a lot of money to move and refurnish in what was an extremely stressful period."This business has been around since 1926 and to move was hard, but it's going well now."Phone shop Mobile Gallery relocated about 100m west on Crown St from the Keira St corner two years ago to avoid being caught out at the last minute."People were turning up measuring the shop while we were still there," assistant manager Sean Thakur said."But no-one would tell us a final date to get out by. We've had to move away from the mall, where people would just wander in, to a place with less parking."There were problems at first but we've done the best we can and things are going well now."Mylan restaurant has moved from the western side of Keira St to the eastern side and business is still strong."It's been a big hassle for us to move; it would have been a lot less stress to stay," owner Nam Huynh conceded.A nearby sushi eatery is yet to find a new home.Electronics chain Bing Lee, the only company that was prepared to fight to see out its lease on Keira St, will now stay until 2010.This is after it widely advertised a move to the Allens site only days ago after seemingly striking a deal with GPT.Skipp Surf has moved to the eastern end of Crown St. Management were not sure whether the new complex would have been good or bad for business."In the end it was good for us that we had to move; we are happy here," owner Maret Skipp said."But I have to say, Wollongong really needed that centre."As GPT took ownership of the Keira St shops, many of them bought from health fund ahm, tenants were given varying deadlines by which to move.While most felt enough time was given, some were told not to disclose their individual deadlines to their neighbours.

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