BULLETIN
COLLIE RIVER VALLEY Published by LOCALS for LOCALS EDITION No. 126
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Extended hours seen as…
$2.50
BUSINESS KILLER
DRESSED TO IMPRESS Brandy Morton, Tom Littlefare, Zeke Walker and Lola Henderson celebrated in style with fellow students at the Collie Senior High School Ball last Saturday night. - See pages 12 and 13.
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EXTENDING existing trading hours could force small businesses to close their doors. This is the view of Steere Street Deli owner Darcy Buckle who this week urged the Collie Chamber of Commerce and Industry not to seek any extension to existing trading hours. His plea comes as the chamber is about to launch a survey on the subject. Mr Buckle has been a vocal critic of the chamber and moves to extend weekend trading hours. He said the last trading hours extension had reduced the number of delis in Collie, with Coles and Woolworths the only real beneficiaries. “What they’re really saying is the supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, can extend their hours, not businesses as businesses can already extend their hours,” Mr Buckle said. “They’re pushing it again because that’s what they want. That’s what the chamber in Perth stands for, so they follow suit.” Mr Buckle said tourists prefer small businesses with character over larger retailers. “It’s not good for smaller businesses and it’s not good for smaller communities,” he said. “The only winners out of it are supermarkets, and the chamber, because the chamber thinks big businesses should go about crushing smaller businesses. “That’s what they stand for. “They don’t listen to their members.” Story continued on page 2.