Businesses boom in newest eat street

THE dining thoroughfare popping up along Mair Street is shaping up to rival that of Armstrong Street.

With the Gov Hub project in the works, it seems only natural for the street’s restaurant and bar scene to also experience an upgrade.

With a $47.8 million investment from the Victorian government, the Gov Hub is set to totally transform the precinct.

Projected to house 1000 employees with up to 600 of them being relocated from Melbourne, there’s no doubt it will bring an influx of people to the city.

Aside from the actual building of the Gov Hub, the project also aims to revitalise Ballarat’s CBD by generating long-term jobs and furthering private sector investment in the area.

Either coincidentally or not, as the Hub’s construction continues a handful of new dining spots have begun popping up in its radius.

The rapidly popular Moon and Mountain opened its doors just two years ago and Aunty Jacks microbrewery is set to open later this year are both proof that this area has the potential to foster successful businesses.

Modern Italian restaurant Ragazzone is in its mere infancy and has already established itself as one of Ballarat’s dining staples.

Owner Drew Harry said it’s great to be a part of a street with plenty of emerging food and drink spots.

“We’ve already had an overwhelming amount of bookings for the next few months,” he said.

The Comfort of Strangers is also a new bar along Mair Street that had opened not long before the COVID-19 shutdown and is now back trading once again.

Owner Torquil Neilson said although he was aware of the Gov Hub developments, he didn’t foresee the area’s business boom.

“It’s awesome because I didn’t know it was happening when I first looked at this place a year and a half ago,” he said.

“Having other venues close by, you can’t ask for anything better than that.

“The more people it gets walking up this block looking for a drink not just wanting to go somewhere specifically, the better.”

With close proximity to the city’s centre, Mair Street is an ideal location to attract residents to flow on and support the CBD’s businesses.

Mr Neilson said it’s great the community get together and support each other even competing businesses.

“In a venue of this size, I can’t please everyone so I just do what I’m do and try to do it well,” he said.

“All the new places along the street are exciting, I know some of guys behind the ventures and they’re great.

“I do pretty well with people who are waiting for a table for at nearby restaurants and throwing new places into the mix isn’t going to hurt at all.”

With an influx of Melbourne residents moving to Ballarat postcodes, Mair Street is only going to continue to densify industrially and residentially.

Ray White Ballarat director Trevor Booth said the area is going to witness a huge amount of growth over the next year.

“The precinct in and around the Gov Hub has been very popular with businesses and people wanting to take advantage of the huge number of people that will be working there,” he said.

“With a thousand new people working in that area in the next 18 months, it’s going to increase patronage along Armstrong Street and Mair Street.

“It’s certainly very possible that this will have an impact on housing prices.”