Hungry for business
Owners say track construction cruelling trade
“Every business owner here is in survival mode, trying to push through Adolfo Pimentel Nobbys Shack Cafe co-owner
Business owners have lashed out about the “despicable” state of the Nobby Beach shopping strip after pressure created by light rail construction.
Adolfo Pimentel moved to the Gold Coast with his wife Lynda nine years ago to start a small family business on Nobby Beach.
The couple own the Nobbys Shack Cafe, which serves healthy refreshments and food.
But with the Stage 3 Light Rail construction in Nobby Beach taking place, the owners say business has veered off the rails in the past few months.
“Every business owner here is in survival mode, trying to push through,” Mr Pimentel said.
“The problem is the council decided to do a multimilliondollar project but they didn’t think about the small business owners. We are collapsing.”
Mrs Pimentel said they relocated the business from their old site two years ago to get away from the construction.
“We moved out of the way in the development that was happening down the road and we took this space and we turned it into a place where people can come and forget about the stress of Covid and everything else that was going on at the time,” she said.
“Having a massive construction fence in front of the shop really deterred people, they can’t even see our business”.
The Bulletin visited the shopping precinct after the Rare Groove Records shop revealed that it had quietly ceased trading after more than 30 years.
Adriano Antonini opened the Tayta Bar and Restaurant eight months ago, two weeks before construction began.
He said the massive fences deterred potential customers from coming to his restaurant and was visually “despicable”.
“Why should people come here, it doesn’t look good at all, it’s despicable,” Mr Antonini said.
“Foot traffic has been very slow. I used to see many tourists here but why would they come to Nobbys, it’s not very inviting anymore. There are usually more tourists here, but when it looks like crap why would people come here, they go to Broadbeach.”
Dalas Kitchen store owner Jess Davies said her sales were steady because they offered Uber Eats and other means for customers to buy.
“We’re sort of just rolling with the punches at the moment,” Ms Davies said.
“We have to adapt to change as business owners you know, it’s just the way it works.
“Because we’re a takeaway venue people come and go so it’s not usually a big deal.”
GoldlinQ CEO Phil Mumford said Stage 3 contractor John Holland had “been working directly with businesses in Nobby Beach” since before work started.
“There has been a focus on giving these businesses, and traders right along the alignment, regular updates about coming works and reducing impacts wherever possible,” he said.
“We continue to encourage Gold Coasters to support local businesses throughout light rail works, even when it means parking further away and planning your journey.”