Breaking News
Shops back in business
JANE IGOE
Wednesday 7 May, 2008 5:01pm
AVENUE Rd precinct traders are back in overdrive following six months of major roadworks and landscaping in the area.
In December the traders presented Mosman Council with a petition urging councillors to provide extra parking for customers to the village shops.
This week Cr Simon Menzies announced the council had voted to move the bus stop further down Avenue Rd to make way for extra parking for the specialty shops.
Providors owner Gary Allen welcomed the move, saying the past six months had been difficult.
Mr Allen's business has been running for about 25 years.
Other owners had complained business had suffered during the six-month disruption.
The Vale Cafe owner Emile Ghabbar said he had been affected by the council works but was looking forward to getting back to normal trading.
"We are happy the bus stop has been moved so our customers can come and shop here again," he said.
Jimmy's fruit shop owner Jimmy Koustoubandis echoed the sentiments.
He has been run a business in Avenue Rd for the past 24 years. His shop is an institution in the area.
"Parking is so important here," he told the Daily.
"We have some new local shops opening as well and our customers want to be able to stop here."
Cr Menzies said the work in the area had consisted of planting, re-paving, raising the pedestrian crossing and roundabout works.
"The traders have wanted to win back the business which had been unfortunately lost over the past six months," he said.
He said despite the disruption there would be an overall net gain of about four to five spaces.
In 2005-06 Mosman Council agreed to install a median strip along Avenue Rd and applied for money from the RTA. Cr Menzies said the median strip would be "back on the agenda" if hold-ups were experienced by residents.
