Discontent over View Street dining

RETAIL traders on View Street have voiced their concerns over the extended outdoor dining trial.

During last Thursday’s council meeting, a petition signed by 16 businesses was heard, calling for the removal of on-street outdoor dining.

Currently two hospitality businesses, Borchelli Ristorante and Wine Bank on View are partaking in the trial, which has been extended until April next year.

Petitioner and proprietor of View Street antique shops Expect the Unexpected and Timeless, Paul Skinnon, said using the sparse street carparks for dining has had an adverse effect on parking and retail businesses in the area.

“We’ve got a chronic parking situation up here, which has been getting progressively worse,” he said.

“Having extra pressure put on parking, without the council looking at the other side of the coin which is how do we alleviate the parking problem up here is not good.”

The state-led outdoor dining initiative is designed to give hospitality businesses that are currently operating with density limits.

Mr Skinnon said the City of Greater Bendigo hurriedly set up outdoor dining, with a lack of consultation, and he was forced to support the trial and give up the footpath at the front of his store.

Down the street, Wine Bank on View has set up an outdoor dining area, however Mr Skinnon said Harvest Food & Wine next door, whose primary business is retail, are facing the same problem.

“Harvest customers are in and out all day, they need those five carparks,” he said.

“The Wine Bank took the three carparks out the front of their building, and you might say fine, but their customers now use Harvest’s car parks.”

Mr Skinnon said there is parking at QEO Oval with over 100 carparks available, however many people from out of town are unaware due to a lack of signage.

As a result of the petition, the City of Greater Bendigo is in the process of establishing an internal team to decide on outdoor dining permits and liaise with traders on the wider issue of parking on View Street.