LANDLORDS OFFER RELIEF
LANDLORDS have already started offering relief to struggling Gold Coast businesses coping with a huge drop in trade due to coronavirus pandemic.
Mermaid Waters cafe Double Barrel Kitchen will be required to pay only 50 per cent of its rent indefinitely, a move that astonished owner Jess Winters. “It’s such an amazing gesture, 50 per cent off our rent until further notice,” she said.
Cohort Innovation Space, a coworking office in Southport, is offering 50 per cent off rent to its current and new co-working members.
LANDLORDS have already started offering relief to struggling Gold Coast businesses coping with a huge drop in trade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mermaid Waters cafe Double Barrel Kitchen will be required to pay only 50 per cent of its rent indefinitely, a move that astonished owner Jess Winters.
“It’s such an amazing gesture, 50 per cent off our rent until further notice,” she said.
“It was a big breath of fresh air when we got that letter through.
“That landlord owns shopping centres all around Australia and they’re getting the same discount, too.”
However, Ms Winters said it would only ease the pressure slightly for the business with overheads still needing to be covered in full at the second venue in Benowa.
Ms Winters said the Benowa cafe was down $10,000 last week and encouraged landlords, and the community, to rally together.
“All businesses are suffering. If landlords are in a position to help, it would be fantastic.
“We treat our staff like family and it’s just gutwrenching.
“Some staff have no shifts, then they have no money to live on. We feel responsibility for their livelihood.
“When you think about the bushfires, all of Australia got together to help out, and yet now there’s all these doomsday preppers clearing off the shelves because of the hysteria.”
Cohort Innovation Space, a co-working office in Southport, is offering 50 per cent off rent to its current and new coworking members.
“Cohort Innovation Space are dedicated to supporting the innovators, start-up founders, entrepreneurs and small business owners of the Gold Coast and have committed to delivering rent relief of 50 per cent for three months for small business owners, sole traders and start-ups within their coworking community,” the company said in a statement to the Bulletin.
“In addition to financial support, Cohort are also rolling out a suite of business support services, such as a free COVID-19 business strategy session, mentor sessions and a business webinar series.”