Pounding the pavement

By Nicole Williams
A LOCAL Dandenong trader is blaming the revitalisation of Dandenong for putting him out of business.
Peter Butts is closing his Walker Street shoe shop after 22 years because shoppers have deserted Dandenong due to poor parking and traffic issues.
“It’s all too late for me now. It’s pretty sad that it’s come to this,” he said.
“Twenty-two years is a hell of a long time.”
Mr Butts said he noticed a decline in business almost immediately after Places Victoria (formerly VicUrban) started revitalising central Dandenong in 2008.
“The last two and a half years have been horrendous,” he said.
“In the first year, we lost 30 per cent of our business and in the second year we lost 20 per cent of our business – it’s frightening.”
Mr Butts, who is also the vice-chairperson of the Dandenong Retail Traders Association (DRTA), believes the inconvenience of constant roadworks, confusing road conditions and fewer car parks forced regular shoppers to go elsewhere.
“Two years of roadworks and two years of traffic jams and limited carparks meant people have had two years to find somewhere else to shop,” he said.
“They’ve found somewhere else and created new habits, found different stores and they’re not going to come back the day the roadwork signs disappear and it’s all nice and new.”
“When they do come back, they find they can’t turn right anywhere and can’t find a car park on the main strip and they’re stuck in traffic again – you do it once, you do it twice if you really have to, and say never again.”
Mr Butts and the DRTA had two meetings with VicRoads, Places Victoria and Greater Dandenong Council to try to improve road conditions.
“They really should be making it as easy as they can for people to get around,” he said.
“They’re always saying it will be really good when it’s done. Well, it’s done and it’s not really good.”
Places Victoria, Chief Development Officer, Dominic Arcaro said the Revitalising Central Dandenong project had already seen good results.
“The Revitalising Central Dandenong initiative has already seen more people living, working and visiting central Dandenong,” he said.
“Places Victoria has been actively working together with council and the retailers to ensure the city’s unique retail and cultural offer is not a secret to the general public.”
Mr Butts said he has no plans to open another retail outlet and intends to look for a job elsewhere.
“But not in retail, I can assure you!”