High rents have been blamed for the increasing number of empty shops at two Williamstown shopping strips.
The shopping strips have featured in Fitzroys’ 2021 edition of Walk the Strip comparing vacancy rates across Melbourne.
Vacancies increased on average by 2.6 per cent across nearly 35 of Melbourne’s major shopping strips, from 7.7 per cent heading into COVID to 10.3 currently.
The vacancy rate in Ferguson Street more than doubled from 4.5 per cent in 2019 to 11.1 per cent this year. The vacancy rate was 4.4 per cent last year.
In Douglas Parade, the vacancy rate rose from 4.6 per cent in 2019 to 10.9 per cent last year and 9.8 per cent this year.
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Scaled-back plans for a container restaurant and bar in Footscray have been approved by Maribyrnong council.
The Bermuda Bar, which draws its name from the triangle-shaped block, will be at 4 Shelley Street, opposite the landmark Franco Cozzo store.
Twenty-four objections were received in response to the proposal, based on proximity to homes, operating hours, the selling of liquor on and off the site, patron numbers, anti-social behaviour due to the selling of liquor, and lack of onsite car parking.
Applicant Toothpicks Creative had planned to use an adjoining triangular block at 1 Byron Street for food trucks but this has been withdrawn.
For decades, Dr Bob Smith has held patients’ lives in his hands.
Now, the retired anaesthetist has gained recognition for his paintings of scenes in the operating theatre.
Dr Smith, 79, was appointed director of anaesthesia at Western Health in 1984 and worked for them until five years ago.
He continues to go into Footscray Hospital for a four-hour session once a week.
Dr Smith, who worked at Sunshine and Footscray hospitals, has been painting for decades.
“After I was divorced from my wife, pretty close to 40 years ago, it was something for me to do when I was home by myself,“ he said.
Hobsons Bay businesses are being invited to display a ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ sticker on their shop fronts.
The council’s Breastfeeding Welcome campaign aims to raise awareness of breastfeeding in public during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week from August 1-7.
Hobsons Bayl’s Maternal and Child Health nurses will hold a live Facebook Q&A for parents on August 3 from 10-11am.
The panel will include nurse Jane Howard, physiotherapist Alex Lopes and breastfeeding counsellor Melanie Frodsham.
Breastfeeding support services are available at:
Altona Early Years Hub on Mondays from 1-4pm
Russell Court Maternal and Child Health Centre in Altona Meadows on Wednesdays from 1.30-4pm