Banora shops outrage

By Jo Kennett

From then on the tables turned, with the Raiders scoring six tries to only one from Murwillumbah to take the win 30-26.

Raiders Owen Fredericks said Mustangs, “obviously had clear intentions.”

“They were knocked out of the finals so they obviously wanted to cause an upset,” Fredericks said.

“It’s always a tough game against Murwillumbah here.

“They started really, really fast and unfortunately we were back to our old ways, dropping the ball and giving away silly penalties.

“Fortunately for us we started to complete our sets and the ball started to swing our way.

“Once momentum swings in NRRRL it’s very hard to keep that defence up.

“It was a very, very tough win but we were happy to get the two points.”

The win should cement the Raiders spot in the finals.

“We verse them at home next week and that game will determine who we play in the finals.

“We either play them in the first week of finals or we go down and play Lower, or someone like that.

“If we win next week we will have a home semi so it was a massive game for us next week.

“We really needed a win because we have had a few losses in a row so it gives us a bit of confidence knowing we can come back from 22-0 which is huge.”

The Tweed Coast Raiders women’s tackle side went down in the semi-finals 26-6 to Northern United after a brilliant season, with several players having to back up from league tag that morning. Well done girls.

Continued from page 11.

Many of the business owners were waiting for rent relief, but despite their pleas to management, it never came.

“We had to present our books to show our significant losses,” the business owner said.

“We’ve been going backwards for six months in the hope we could continue trading and we were led to believe we would continue, but this week they have told us we have to be out.

“The community has been great with their support, but with no supermarket as an anchor we haven’t had the trade.

“That’s been our argument disputing the rent, that without the supermarket to draw people in, the extremely high rent wasn’t worth paying.

“They haven’t offered anyone a reduction in rent and other business owners have been told, ‘If you don’t like it, leave’.”

Another business owner, who also didn’t want to be named because they are still trying to negotiate with management, told The Weekly customers are devastated.

“Everyone is in the same boat and the community is absolutely furious,” the business owner said.

“I’ve worked here since I was a child; for 26 years and I’m devastated.

“A lot of our elderly customers have watched me grow up and they are all devastated.

“They have nowhere else for them to go. They say they can’t get across to the service station because they are too slow with their wheelie walkers.

“There are no fresh food options now. They booted out the Indian restaurants that had been here for 20 years.”

When The Weekly visited Banora Shopping Village at 4pm on a Monday afternoon it was deserted, despite several shops still being open.

“In the afternoon there is no one around,” the business owner said. “You can hear a pin drop.

“They looked us in the face and said ‘Yes, we want you to stay’.

“They said it would be a smaller space and we were fine with that and knew we would probably have to get out for part of the redevelopment but we were prepared to wait.

“Now I think we are now in the way. We were informed we had 30 days to get out with no warning after being promised that we could stay.

“Now we have been hit with this big rent bill on the same day we got notice and they said all monies owing are due the day we hand the keys back so they’ve just ruined our business.

“We will walk away with nothing after years of hard work. The dishonesty gets to me. How do they sleep at night?

“They will have a Woolworths, and I presume a BWS, which is why Liquorland (a Coles subsidiary) left.

“Everyone is stressed that they can’t do that to them, that they are next. We are extremely stressed.”

The Weekly contacted Site 8, who manage the centre, which is owned by Yi Fong International, for comment, that was not received in time for print.