Perth Voice Interactive

TRADERS and residents along Beaufort Street are not waiting on Vincent city council to find a solution to the street’s ongoing exodus of independent retailers.

While the council negotiates with developers (see story, right) the Beaufort Street Network is drawing up its own action plan for recovery.

In recent months six independent retailers have shut their doors, many blaming exorbitant rent hikes, affordable only by bland national chains and pubs.

Dean Cracknell is an urban planner and BSN member who’s collected around 120 surveys that had asked for ideas on how to keep the street’s character.

“People like the independent local businesses, the vibe, the atmosphere,” he says.

“One of the things people don’t like is the local shops closing [leading to] the lack of diversity.”

He says making the street better for simply hanging around could be key to saving retail.

Ideas on the table include parklets, where on-road car bays are converted into sitting areas, usually bordered by planter boxes. The idea’s been trialled in Leederville and worked so well neighbouring councils are poking around.

Other plans include more public art: Mr Cracknell says around the world it’s been shown that art attracts people to the street.

In the Albanian capital of Tirana, bizarre and brightly painted buildings have proven to draw in tourists from all over.

A buy local campaign is also being considered, to drive the point home that if you want interesting shops to survive you have to use them.

Planet owner Haydn Robinson, who recently downsized, says if people like his store they should buy or rent from it instead of the web.

Making the street attractive to families “and not just the funky hipsters” is also a priority, Mr Cracknell says.

Another sore point is the WA government determination to run dedicated bus lanes down outside lanes at peak hour.

The BSN instead wanted trams down the middle (so fast buses don’t whip past people enjoying a quiet coffee on the footpath) but the state’s barrelling ahead with buses.

Mr Cracknell accuses the Public Transport Authority of being narrow-minded in viewing Beaufort Street as merely a thoroughfare to the city and not a destination in its own right.

He’s hoping the government will at least soften the bus lanes’ impact with street surface treatments, public art and plantings.

Overall he’s optimistic about the future of Beaufort. While some predict huge shopping centres and online retail spell the end of high streets, Mr Cracknell thinks Beaufort will survive.

“Absolutely. It is going to take some hard work, but the action plan is going to provide some guidance.”

The survey’s at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/86PN9H9 and there’s a public meeting to chat about ideas at the Defectors Bar (at Flying Scotsman) on July 2 at 6.30pm.

by DAVID BELL