Established in 1875 as the
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proudly serving Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay
24 JANUARY, 2024
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Classic cars on show
Motoring group members Lou Artz, Graham Weightman, and Alan Tidbury (L-R) gearing up for a big car show. (Damjan Janevski) 383345_04
The Hobsons Bay Men’s Shed is celebrating its 11th anniversary with a classic car and bike show. Gold coin donations will grant you entry to Apex Park on Queen Street, Altona on Sunday, February 25, with profits going to a local charity. Food and drink will be available throughout the day, as well as face painting, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, and a live band. Motoring group secretary Lou Artz said the men’s shed is as strong as ever. “Our current membership is close to 400 people, which not only consists of the Motoring Group but also includes woodwork, computers, metal work, cycling, photography, music to name just a few,” he said. “Once a month we usually try to go for a club run to an event or even just a drive through the countryside, these events are enjoyed by not only the club members but also their partners, we’ve had up to 40 cars in a convoy at times.”
Empty shop ‘frustration’ By Gerald Lynch Footscray’s Barkly Street is seemingly in danger of becoming a ghost town, with a strip of shops remaining unleased and empty. A local real estate agent, who is handling multiple for lease properties on Barkly Street, told Star Weekly that too many people are moving away from physical retail, making the premises very difficult to sell and lease. “It is cheaper for a business owner to move to a warehouse, there’s less staff, lower rent,“ said the agent who asked not to be named. “Most of the vacant properties have been that way for over 18 months, landlords have reduced rent askings but the properties still won’t go.“
Aaron Donato, who owns Bar Joesphine and Pie Thief, said that while there are some vacant shops, the street is far from dead. “It is frustrating to have empty shops all around us, there’s no denying that. But honestly it was kinda like that when we first took the lease on the Josephine building in 2016,“ he said. “Jim Wong and Teds Cycles are just two businesses (both closed in 2019), but because of their footprint, their closures made an obvious visual impact on the street. However, two closed businesses don’t make a ghost town.“ There’s 12 properties near each other that remain vacant in Barkly Street, but Mr Donato said he believes this to be due to the nature of the businesses previously
occupying the spaces. “Vacancies seem to be concentrated on that western end of Barkly, between French and Geelong,“ he said. “I think this has to do with the type of businesses these shops used to be. Where you have hospitality ready buildings all along Hopkins-Barkly from Moore to French, it continues to be a vibrant hub of restaurants and bars. But between French and Geelong you have more predominantly retail and office spaces.“ Maribyrnong mayor Cuc Lam said the council recognises the challenges faced by Barkly Street and is focusing on the positives. “Council has been working with local trader groups, landlords and their respective real estate agents to activate vacant shop
fronts along Barkly Street in Footscray,“ she said. “Council acknowledges there will likely always be some vacancies in the retail precincts. And while it can encourage landlords to activate vacant shop fronts and take on new tenants, Council is not in a position to enforce this. “The economic activity within the suburb of Footscray has in fact increased significantly compared to pre-COVID spending. According to Spendmapp data, in December 2023, Footscray hit a new record spend for dining and entertainment. This is a positive sign and council will continue to work with the local trader groups and business operators to help ensure Footscray reaches its full potential.“
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