By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A DANDENONG Market trader, whose stall made less than $6000 last year, has failed to get rent relief from the market’s managers.
Scott Watson, who runs a greeting cards stall, was told in a letter this month from the market’s general manager Kerry Lodge “at this stage they believe there is no basis for rent relief”.
Mr Watson, who pays $1446 in monthly rent, said he was told in a meeting with market board members that he did not fall into the category of rent relief because he was making money.
“There’s not one person in the market that’s going to qualify for rent relief on this basis,” Mr Watson told the Journal. Aggrieved traders were recently told they could apply for rent relief on a case-by-case basis if they supplied their “financials” and a business and marketing plan.
They have complained of dwindling customer numbers and soaring rental rates since the market’s reconstruction several years ago. Some are backing a traders’ strike if they cannot get relief.
On a 38-degree afternoon last Tuesday, traders sweltered under the general merchandise hall’s roof. Many had packed up their stalls early, and some lamented over aisles deserted of customers.
One trader had not taken a dollar for the day, others barely made $100. Abdul Fazal, a shoes stallholder for 23 years, said takings were down 75 per cent from the “old days”. He backed calls for a general strike.
Julie Busch, chairwoman of the market’s board, told the Journal she could not say how little a stallholder could make to qualify for rent relief. “That’s not something I want to talk about. It’s not something that can be generally quantified.” She said “a couple” of stallholders had applied for rent relief but it was not appropriate to say whether they were successful.
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