East Gippsland Shire Mayor, Cr Jodie Ashworth, and chief executive officer, Fiona Weigall, met with concerned traders in the Nicholson Street Mall yesterday, responding to calls for urgent action to improve safety and foot traffic in the precinct.
Business owners and staff are urging the council to allow slow-moving vehicle access through the mall, similar to the shared thoroughfare model used in Sale. Traders say reopening the mall to traffic could make it feel safer for shoppers and help revive activity in the multi-million-dollar precinct.
Traders emphasised that the situation is harming businesses and the wider Bairnsdale community. While acknowledging broader social issues, including the high number of people sleeping rough, they say it is council’s responsibility to implement a clear plan to make the mall safer.
Traders also raised ongoing concerns about the state of public toilets in the mall precinct, which are frequently unusable due to faeces and general messiness. The unsanitary conditions are compounding safety concerns and further discouraging shoppers from spending time in the area.
