Progressive thinking, lower rents or Tedder Ave is done

WE have seen many reports on the dismal state of Tedder Ave and Main Beach in general.

The never-ending empty shopfronts and eerie emptiness of the area reeks of a total lack of progress and insight on the part of the MBA and council.

As a previous small business owner and resident of Tedder Ave, I have witnessed first hand what non progress actually looks like from ground zero. OK it was a while ago since we lost our business in Tedder but the scars are still very raw and obviously nothing has changed and no lessons learnt by those within power.

There have been shopfronts along Tedder that have literally been vacant for over eight years. I know because I lived there. The total disregard for small business in Main Beach is nothing short of criminal. What is the explanation for so many shops to have closed only to reopen and close again, or those shops which have not been leased for many years?

The light rail would add a new dimension to this already dead strip. It would bring customers, tourists and give locals an opportunity to get on a tram and stop at Tedder or the spit for a meal/coffee without having to drive and park.

Ms Donovan from the MBA’s suggestion of a ferry dock close to Tedder Ave was a little confusing to me. It’s certainly a bit of a walk from there to the Tedder hub or what’s left of the hub and if there is nothing there to attract tourists then why take the challenge?

Do the MBA really think that this is an answer to the public transport void in this area? Or perhaps we could jump on “The Duck” and make our way down Tedder?

We owned a viable, successful small business in Tedder, however the insidious greed of landlords and lack of foot traffic created a perfect storm which was impossible to withstand.

If the MBA and any other bodies having their say about the area want change, then do something. If the shops are leased then people will make an effort to come.

We suffered through extremely high rents, bullying landlords, little foot traffic and having to watch other small business owners suffer the same fate as us and close. It was sad then and it obviously hasn’t changed.

So let’s just go over this one more time. The MBA and locals, many of whom don’t support the businesses in Tedder anyway due to the fact there aren’t many left to support, then add in no tram line or CST to bring more customers, high rents, empty shop fronts and little or no foot traffic. Sounds slightly selfish to me.

I remember when Tedder Ave was alive with locals and tourists, when every shop was leased and people sat and enjoyed a meal or a coffee, but those days are long gone.

Unless this area begins to embrace progress, lower rents and move into the 21st century then it will most surely die.

Get your heads out of your “lattes” MBA and allow this area to grow before it fades into just another strip of empty shops and graffiti, oh that’s right, it’s already there.

TINA BARBER, BROADBEACH