Quote:

Originally Posted by biglebstud

Are we talking food? Or euphemisms? . . . Either way, I agree!!!!!

all of the above :P

I was talking to a friend about the shop closures in Oxford Street. She lives in Balmain and says Darling Street (the main street that runs through the Balmain Peninsula) also suffers from frequent shop closures and shops being closed for quite some time. Seems the rents are so high that unless the retailer is able to turn a "decent" profit, then there's no point continuing. Cafes & restaurants in Balmain, she says, come & go or change hands at an amazing rate. Sound similar to Oxford Street.

I believe the old medical centre offices next to the Beauchamp Hotel, in Oxford Street, still remain closed. They must have been closed now for over 20 years? Wonder what the story is there?

Monica and Clover are helping to close some more shops



http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/retailers-...625-20ymd.html

"some sort of political stitch-up" apparently...

I can be so indecisive - less shops are a good thing - any more than eenie, meenie, miney, mo makes my head hurt.

I think we should only have one brand of everything like in North Korea...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Freak

I was talking to a friend about the shop closures in Oxford Street. She lives in Balmain and says Darling Street (the main street that runs through the Balmain Peninsula) also suffers from frequent shop closures and shops being closed for quite some time. Seems the rents are so high that unless the retailer is able to turn a "decent" profit, then there's no point continuing. Cafes & restaurants in Balmain, she says, come & go or change hands at an amazing rate. Sound similar to Oxford Street.

I believe the old medical centre offices next to the Beauchamp Hotel, in Oxford Street, still remain closed. They must have been closed now for over 20 years? Wonder what the story is there?

Really interesting observations there

Makes you wonder if Landlords and Realtors truly see an advantage in letting [what should be] prime stock sit unleased for up to 20 years rather than charging accessible rents, having full occupancy?

Fairengough they probably are only charging what they have to in order to pocket a few coins after Rates/Insurance/Maintentance are paid for. Which again is a self-defeating situation - value of a property or district [and therefore the rate base and GST potentially collected] grow when it is populated, vibrant, and used. Values drop when spaces are in a state of dissuse, abandoned, dingy and are squatted by 'undesireable elements'.

sometimes tax laws encourage what would otherwise seem quite a foolish enterprise. The ability to write off a full loss is sometimes more advantageous than receiving a partial income. It is all a numbers game - and sometimes a timing game - buy a building and let it sit vacant until a time when the market conditions warrant the reno, till then write down the asset for tax advantages.

Bad businessmen blame competition

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Freak

I was talking to a friend about the shop closures in Oxford Street. She lives in Balmain and says Darling Street (the main street that runs through the Balmain Peninsula) also suffers from frequent shop closures and shops being closed for quite some time. Seems the rents are so high that unless the retailer is able to turn a "decent" profit, then there's no point continuing. Cafes & restaurants in Balmain, she says, come & go or change hands at an amazing rate. Sound similar to Oxford Street.

I believe the old medical centre offices next to the Beauchamp Hotel, in Oxford Street, still remain closed. They must have been closed now for over 20 years? Wonder what the story is there?

I've wondered that myself.

Its all even more interesting seeing that the zones with HUGE public inputs - ie Circular and Darling Harbour don't seem to be experiencing closures, whereas the less propped-up, more organically formed precincts are.

A stall owner at a market told me that Oxford St businesses are suffering because cars cant park around there. He blamed Clover Moore's anti car pro bicycle policies . I dont know much about it myself...

Quote:

Originally Posted by badamj2000

A stall owner at a market told me that Oxford St businesses are suffering because cars cant park around there. He blamed Clover Moore's anti car pro bicycle policies . I dont know much about it myself...

Thats why its vital for the new Govts light rail projects to ahead in full. I am anti-car in the CBD and highly dense inner ring zone, but only if a strong alternative is provided. The buses are not good enough thats why light rail needs to massively expand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shazzboy

Thats why its vital for the new Govts light rail projects to ahead in full. I am anti-car in the CBD and highly dense inner ring zone, but only if a strong alternative is provided. The buses are not good enough thats why light rail needs to massively expand.

Sounds like a good idea. Im pro public transport and pro congestion imposts for inner city cars. We need a decent metro network so cars arent needed....

Businesspeople that blame other people for their issues are bad business people. I've never had an issue parking in or around Oxford St during the day time whether weekday or weekend. Evenings can be hard with all the club bunnies and restaurateurs. This is both before and after the bike lanes, so this excuse is a cop out. The real reason these places are closing is because their overheads are too high, we are in the middle of a GFC in which people aren't spending like they used to and being more selective when they do.

Let's take for example some of the high end restaurants and fashion places. How many people can afford to spend $50+ regularly for a meal or buy label goods at marked up prices? If as a single person you can't afford this, imagine having kids and a mortgage. Even just going to the movies will cost you $40 for one person if you include popcorn and drink.

Good points. Apparently 'strip shopping' is in decline everywhere?
Where are the multistory car parks around Darlo and the Cross? God forbid?
Does Oxford st excite shoppers enough?I think Oxford bwt Whitlam and Taylors Squares is a bit tacky and feral. They could turn it all into a mall?
How are King St Newtown businesses faring?
Is it all somehow my fault?

Looks like "The Gaff" has gone as well. Noticed today that the building is up for sale and the sign mentions disused niteclub. Can onyone confirm if thats the case? Hopefully it never reopens again.

Quote:

we are in the middle of a GFC in which people aren't spending like they used to and being more selective when they do.

But that only affects companies that export; if you are on a wage you are still earning the same amount of money, so you don't need to economise.

Probably more of a case that the rents are too high, and that business was selling a product that the local people didn't want or need.

I blame Coles and Woolies for so much bad shit....

change is inevitable
that said with oxford streets change from gay ghetto to yuppyville
why have the gays not claimed and resettled in a cheaper neighborhood, after all its not the actual street that made it what it was it was the people the characters.

I think gay people are settling in Marrickville, although it's been a long time since I was there.

Then again I think not everyone wants to live in a "gay ghetto", nor really needs to as gays are much more accepted these days, and unless you are really out there and camp will blend in out in the suburbs.

With house prices the way they are there are no cheaper neighbourhoods near the city, you have to go right out west, and it's all so spread out there that there couldn't be a concentration of gay people in one area.

There were a couple of articles in the SMH a few months back where ex-Oxford Street restaurateurs blamed "too many nightclubs and kebab shops" as one of the big factors leading to their closures. They said there is a difficulty with the demographics the nightclubs attract and this clashed with people wanting to have dinner etc. They said smashed windows were common and violent incidents occurred right outside their restaurants during dinner services.

I definitely agree with this, when Oxford St started filling up with thousands of drunk idiots every night and basically became a 24 hour drinking hole, it was no longer a pleasant place to go shopping or have dinner

[quote=Simoneybabe;574661]I think gay people are settling in Marrickville, although it's been a long time since I was there.

Then again I think not everyone wants to live in a "gay ghetto", nor really needs to as gays are much more accepted these days, and unless you are really out there and camp will blend in out in the suburbs.

Ashfield, Summer Hill, Marrickville, - etc. all have the shops, restaurants, cafes, small bars that are really nice to meet up at for dinner without all the drama and hassles of inner city living -
I can walk to the train station in under 10 minutes , have plenty of options with regard to shopping, dining out, etc.
I seldom use the car and could quite easily not have one.
Our neighbors all know we are gay and do not have any problems with it . The times, they are a changing.

"united we stand ,divided we fall"

out there and camp hmmmm....I know plenty of straight blokes that are camp and pretty effeminate
They are accepted in the burbs you know why? Its cause they fuck there wives
Even if you and your partner look as macho as Mr T ,Tom Selleck or John Wayne do not kid yourself that your neighbors fully accept you ,they may to your face but privatelyit could be another matter.
We need the gay ghettos for a reason.Its to relate to each other, all grindr and manhunt do is provide a cheap escort service.

I dont know what your gay neighbours are like Chad but mine couldnt give a flying fuck. In fact they have gay friends.

The straight Navy guy next to me knocked on my door the other night all excited to show me his new car. While looking at it another gay guy drove in and was roped into looking at the new car. All very friendly. We have only ever had 1 guy living here who I would say is a homophobe but also a right knob as he didnt get on with anyone but he lasted a few years and is well gone.

Have never felt I need the gay ghetto but realise some do. They need to live and breathe it 24/7.

In the early years there was the gay ghetto's as mentioned but with more acceptance etc and gays wanting families or wanting a house instead of a bedsit the gay's just moved out into the burbs/country.

Seriously doubt you will ever get it back like it was. Sure there will be periods where a few venues open up close to each other and will seem like a new gay ghetto is starting but will prob change as most things do.

I thought all the poofs lived in waterloo and alexandria? and the lesbians in newtown and marrickville

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad_74

"united we stand ,divided we fall"

out there and camp hmmmm....I know plenty of straight blokes that are camp and pretty effeminate
They are accepted in the burbs you know why? Its cause they fuck there wives
Even if you and your partner look as macho as Mr T ,Tom Selleck or John Wayne do not kid yourself that your neighbors fully accept you ,they may to your face but privatelyit could be another matter.
We need the gay ghettos for a reason.Its to relate to each other, all grindr and manhunt do is provide a cheap escort service.

Most of our gay friends now live in the suburbs, as well. We are not screaming queens but we make it perfectly clear we are partners and gay - it is not an issue - If there are any that do not like us because we are gay, or call us names behind our backs, why would we care ? The important thing is that we now live in a society they do not dare to feel comfortable enough saying anything to our faces.
In reality, it is much better than that and we are as accepted as we want to be in suburbia. We interact with our neighbors on a daily basis, just as we did when we lived in the ghetto, if not more so. Our young married neighbor and his wife both stop by to show off their 8 month old - Our 70 year old nan to show us her 2 grandkids, we are invited to dinners, xmas parties, weddings, and the irregular street parties. One couples teenage daughter feeds our pet when we are out of town.
Maybe ones needs for having a gay ghetto diminishes with age - and it is nice that Australian society has reached a point that it is not acceptable to have a go at gays in public. That homophobes must do it in secret, behind closed doors, for the most part, just shows how far we have come in the past 30 years.
I am not living in a land of delusion - I know there are some who would still string us up and quarter us if they and their kind could have their way - but in the land of Australia, they are now well and truly the minority.

Its great to have the choice isn't it?
I now do not live in an overly gay populated area
but as a youngen I lived in a suburb which had plenty of gays ,couples and singles which I believe made the whole realization coming out a lot easier.
With youth suicide and gay mens suicide /depression being so high compared to the general population we need these area as refuge's .
Like you get Chinatowns etc its nice to live amongst alike people albeit being as diverse as what we are