No doubting Thomas plans for street revamp

By Shaun Inguanzo
THOMAS Street is set to become a bustling place of lavish dining and nightlife similar to Carlton’s Lygon Street.
The City of Greater Dandenong is planning to revamp central Dandenong’s dining areas with extended trading hours to create an atmosphere comparable to, if not better than, that of metropolitan Melbourne.
City of Greater Dandenong business manager of environmental health, Geoff Fraser, said the council was now in the process of sending out annual registration forms to 1500 food businesses, with amendments aimed at improving the Dandenong dining experience.
Mr Fraser said council was promoting to business owners that there would be population over the next 24 months of up to 3000 new residents, allowing them to rethink their strategies.
Mr Fraser said the increase would mean businesses “might have to be more flexible to some new markets becoming available”.
He said this would include extended trading hours with input from all businesses to accommodate for an exciting and atmospheric nightlife.
Mr Fraser said council was looking to transform the railway end of Thomas Street into an experience found normally within Melbourne’s CBD, but closer to eastern and southeastern suburbs.
“That is certainly what we are trying to incubate,” Mr Fraser said.
“I have got the confidence (the potential) is there.”
Mr Fraser said the council would encourage new food businesses to open there.
He said some multicultural delights found in restaurants along Thomas Street already mirrored innercity experiences.
“If you dine in some of the places along Thomas Street, certainly the experience parallels your Lygon Street. It is just literally a matter of people having the confidence to come out this way and see that our dining experience is up there right around metropolitan Melbourne.”
Mr Fraser said gastronomical highlights included the Bay Leaf Indian restaurant, Pamir Kebab, the Grand Hotel, Sinbads, and Afghan Masala.
Meanwhile, Mr Fraser said Parkmore and the Springvale South areas were developing food businesses at a faster rate than central Dandenong.
Mr Fraser said new homes near the Keysborough Hailebury College campus had sparked the demand for food businesses, with one new restaurant having opened, and another to be open in several weeks.
He also highlighted the opening of coffee chain Gloria Jeans in Parkmore as a sign of positive growth.