Surf Coast Times
Tuesday 24 August 2010
VOL 8. No 34
www.surfcoasttimes.com.au
FREE WEEKL WEEKLY
TORQUAY surfer Greg ‘Brownie’ Brown has won the Australian Title in the over 45 longboard division, at Port Macquarie, NSW, on the weekend. A highly celebrated Australian surfer for more than 30 years, Brown grew up in Lorne, before moving to Torquay 25 years ago. Brown has been a multiple Victorian champion shortboard and longboard surfer and in his early career, represented Australia. One of the country’s most famous surfboard shapers under the GASH brand, ‘Brownie’ was a popular and well deserved winner at the surfing festival. Photo: HUGHY WEBB
JOBS SAFE BY ELEANOR WOODS
SURF COAST residents and retailers are celebrating the news that shopping outlet giant Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) has been saved from going into receivership – meaning Torquay Central has escaped potential closure. Torquay Central, which is owned by DFO, was at risk of being caught up in the business blunder but DFO’s parent company Austexx has stepped in and bailed out the struggling shopping chain. It was reported the company’s chief executive, Geoff Porz, and managing director, Frank De Rango, planned to recapitalise the business, which is said to be heavily in debt. A deal was struck last week, in which banks agreed
Surf Forecast
to let Austexx complete the final building stages of its Melbourne South Wharf DFO project, which is believed to be at the core of the company’s problems. From there, the South Wharf complex would be sold to try and recover company debt. DFO representatives did not wish to comment on whether or not the unraveling business would affect the Torquay Central wing of operations but news the company was not going into receivership was met with relief from workers at the Torquay shopping centre – some who had feared they might lose their jobs. Lisa Kos, from lifestyle fashion store, Lorna Jane, was among the relieved. “We were a bit worried here. We thought we might lose our jobs. When you don’t know what’s going
on, you worry a bit,” Kos said. The single mother of two said she was grateful not to have to “start again”. “I really rely on my income. I would have had to look for other work. “If shops started to close down the place would lose its life. It’s such a vibrant shopping centre here. People love wandering around and enjoying the area. If it went bust it’d be a real pity. It would turn into a ghost town,” she said. Other workers were not concerned saying they had been assured by bosses it would be “business as usual”. Manager of Jay Jays, Emma Page, was told that any problems lay further up the ladder and would not affect her or her employees.
“The issue is being dealt with behind the scenes with the higher level of the business and we have been told it will not affect us at shop level. “We were a bit worried at the start but our company got on to us straight away to settle us down and reassure us that it wouldn’t filter down to our level,” Page said. Torquay Commerce and Tourism Association president Martin Duke was pleased that businesses at Torquay Central would remain intact. “It’s fantastic news. We are very glad the DFO situation has been resolved. We would be devastated if any shop at all in Torquay were to close. “This news is excellent. The jobs will stay. The more businesses in town, the more local residents doing well,” Duke said.
WED 2-4ft building, W 12° THU 3-4ft building, W/NW 12° FRI 3-5ft+ quality W 12° SAT 3-4ft easing SW 14°
E? M O H W E N A BUILDING s! s, off the plan
uote Fixed price qhecks and colour consultation
sure c letion! with FREE mea priate time closer to comp at an appro
PAGE
74