Westfields – Parking fee will kill off traders

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Is it to drive customers online to westfields ?  

IF shoppers needed another reason to turn their backs on their local retail stores in favour of the internet, they’ve got it – they are about to be hit with extra parking fees.

Online Shopping Website Designer SydneyWestfield Chatswood will soon cut its three-hour free parking to two hours and slug shoppers up to $6 for staying into the third hour.

The move follows similar policies to other Westfield complexes, where the free parking period has been wound back in suburbs where spots are at a premium including Bondi Junction and Burwood.

Westfield Chatswood had sought to wind back its three-hour free limit and charge a nominal $2 last year, but Willoughby City Council refused the request after a public outcry. The carpark is owned by the council but managed by Westfield.

Under the terms of its contract, if both parties can’t agree on fees they can get an independent valuer to decide a price based on other parking in the area – and the valuer’s determination is final.

Other half-hourly rates will also be increased.The valuer’s report went before last night’s council meeting and, alarmingly for shoppers, determined Westfield could charge $5 up to two and a half hours, $6 up to three hours and $10 up to three and a half hours.

A council spokeswoman said they hoped Westfield would keep to its initial proposal of a nominal $2 for the third hour – but there will be no such luck for shoppers.

Westfield spokeswoman Julia Clarke confirmed yesterday it would increase fees to the valuer’s maximum determination from late May.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the changes would have a major impact on some retailers.

“Some retailers will be more affected than others,” he said. “If you’re a hairdresser, and you have clients getting their hair dyed, it takes longer than two hours for that. So there are issues around time restrictions.

“If customers are doing a day’s worth of shopping and want to stop for coffee and lunch, they can’t do that in two hours. But there are some, like supermarkets or grocery stores, that could benefit because customers are in and out.”

Pymble mum Angela Pisani said the proposed changes were “horrendous”.

She shops at the centre at least once a week and would consider going elsewhere if the price of parking went up.

“I resent having to pay at all,” she said.

“With retail the way it is that won’t encourage anyone to come and spend money.

“No one will come here.”

Westfield is not alone – a spokesman for rival Stockland said two of its NSW centres had parking fees but stressed there were no plans to start charging elsewhere in the next few years.

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