By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
THE CRANBOURNE fresh food ‘Market’ has it all – except adequate car parking for customers.
Located on High Street, the Market shares 80 rear car parks with neighbouring businesses – but owner Pat Sofra said Centrelink was taking up more than its fair share.
The rear car park off Childers Street holds 40 all-day car parking spaces and 40 two-hour spaces, and Mr Sofra said it was destroying his business.
“It’s a disaster, the 40 all-day car parks are full all day every day and I guarantee those people are at Kelly’s Motor Club, Centrelink and Medibank – everywhere but here.
“Cranbourne is getting more populated and they’re leaving their cars here all day and we can’t grow our business like this,” Mr Sofra said.
The Market recently launched a petition to limit all 80 spaces to two hours, and within a week had close to 500 signatures from disgruntled local shoppers.
“Some people have decided to shop elsewhere because it’s too hard to find a park.
“People love our market, it’s one of the best in the area and I’d like to see the all-day parking changed to benefit all of the shops in this precinct – not just mine,” he said.
Councillor Amanda Stapledon raised the issue in early August and tabled the petition at a council meeting on Tuesday 18 August but a decision is yet to be made.
“We want to look at a long-term parking plan for Cranbourne to meet the needs of the entire shopping precinct.
“But also at the immediate request to reverse the all-day parking, the council have made a decision to look into it,” Ms Stapledon said.
Baz Dervish, owner of Casey’s Mega Meats also located in the Market, said many of his neighbours from Clyde simply didn’t shop in Cranbourne due to the parking – something he said had grown dramatically worse since Centrelink was opened.
“It’s the worst it’s ever been and if you count all the cars in the car park and then count all of the people in our store you’ll be lucky if there’s a third inside,” he said.
Both owners would like to see a multi-level car park built on the site.
“A multi-level car park would be a breeze and not just for us but for everyone,” he said.
