Cooly feeling pinch
Trading as bad as 80s
COOLANGATTA business owners are hurting from high rents, parking restrictions and a downturn in trade just as badly as Broadbeach.
After it was revealed upwards of 12 Broadbeach businesses had closed their doors in 2018, Coolangatta business owner Michelle Baldwin came forward yesterday to say this year had been the worst since she started her yoga studio, Hot Tropical Yoga, more than 11 years ago.
“I’ve spent nights sitting on the floor counting coins in tears, wondering how I’m going to pay rent,” she said.
“When I saw that (Broadbeach bar and restaurant) Onyx was closing I got tears in my eyes.
“I’ve had my studio for 11½ years and this year has been the hardest since I opened. Rent is nearly four times what I started paying. They’ve put in one-hour parking zones in Griffith St. When I talk to other businesses, everyone is struggling and upset.”
Fox Surf owner Larry Colombo said he had never seen Coolangatta so dead and in particular its main strip, Griffith St.
“Coolangatta in my view – and I’ve spoken to council and town planners – needs a total revamp,” he said.
‘They know Griffith St is dying and even they have said they don’t know what to do.
“Griffith St landlords followed the prices of The Strand (shopping centre) so you’ve got these little shops paying Sydney and Melbourne prices. There are people who have lived here forever saying they haven’t seen things so bad since the ’80s. I see Griffith St turning into Bay St in Tweed – full of brothels and vagrants.”
Mr Colombo said big businesses leaving Coolangatta indicated how dire the situation was.
After Zarraffa’s Coffee closed its store in The Strand, Zarraffa’s managing director Kenton Campbell blamed high rent. He has since announced a new store for South Tweed.
“It was ultimately the only reasonable decision available to us,” he said.
Local councillor Gail O’Neill said she believed more development was the solution.
The former resort general manager publicly supported the construction of a 23-storey hotel, which was rejected on the grounds it exceeded the town’s 10-storey zoning limit.
The decision was appealed and the matter was taken to court, where it awaits judgment.
“I really believe we need more holiday accommodation and we definitely need a hotel,” she said.