Retail News

East Gosford sails through downturn

Traders in East Gosford are reporting buoyant trading conditions in the lead up to Christmas. Indications are that 2009 has not been the difficult year most had expected with a number of traders saying that business is up on last year. However, it does appear that those businesses that have targeted the middle to upper demographic market have enjoyed the best results.

The best indicator of business conditions is the number of vacant shops and at East Gosford there are no vacancies except for two retail spaces both in Adelaide Street opposite the Elanora Hotel. After going through a releasing phase, Victoria Court has seen a number of new tenants moving in over recent months and, apart from two small office spaces, is again fully leased.

Earlier in the year the Australian distributors for Bertoli and Lupi olive oil brands, Minerva Australia Pty Ltd, took up 140 sqm of office space. 

Starr Partners Real Estate moved in last month taking around three hundred square metres of prime upstairs office space. They plan to develop a franchise network on the Central Coast to compliment their Western Sydney network.

Kerry Armstrong, proprietor of Radiance Skin & Body Care has also relocated from premises she has occupied in Althorpe Street for many years.

Another new tenant is Noelene Triggs’ Serenity Interior & Exterior Design. Mrs Triggs has moved into a 43 sqm shop facing Victoria Street. Mrs Triggs said, “I have been looking for suitable shop-front premises for some time. East Gosford fits into our business plan.”

Local businessman, Ron Hinksman said East Gosford’s success had to be sheeted home to the establishment of the Community Bank. “After the major banks left town over ten years ago, East Gosford was finished but the Chamber of Commerce approached Bendigo Bank with a view to setting up a Community Bank and the rest is history.There are next to no vacancies in the centre these days, which is a far cry from what things were like without a bank,” he said.

Aldi to locate in Gosford

Aldi has lodged a Development Application with Gosford Council to locate a supermarket in the Imperial Centre in Gosford.
Aldi plan to move into the premises presently occupied by Best & Less. Best & Less will relocate to the shop that had previously been occupied by Retravision.

The move by Aldi will give the Imperial Centre considerable retail strength and create strong competition for Woolworths which underwent a $8 million refurbishment late last year. Aldi will also attract a new customer base in to the Gosford CBD.

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