Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you've been down Smith Street lately, you might have
been asking yourself what's going on? There are fences up
and for many of the local businesses there, it's been
a pretty tough time. I think you'd have to say
is the street appears to be closed for businesses on
one side, but the businesses are anything but closed. They're
open and they are very keen for you to continue
(00:22):
to support them while these council works are underway. Now
joining me in the studio are the owners of McCarn
stop and Copy Stop, Richard and Jules. Good morning to
you both. Lovely to have you both in the studio. Now,
how long ago did the work on Smith Street get underway?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
The work started and of March, start of April yep, yeah,
we defenses going up fairly late actually because of the
late green currently.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, what like from your perspective, what kind of impact
has it had on the business on the Carn't stop
on Smith Straight.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I think, like you said, you know, the street appears
to be closed. I think people from the other side
are finding hard to cross the road and the car
parking essentially they take they're removing nineteen car parks. But
obviously with the works at the moment, people are finding
it really challenging to get to us.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So at the nineteen car parks they're being removed long term,
are they correct, Yes, But at the moment, like it's
a situation where you literally can sort of just park
on one side of the straight right.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Is there's just parking on one side of the street. Yes,
very limited at the moment. I think it's really kind
of difficult to actually find easy car parking there, so
people are having to park into Woolies and then taking
out car parks for people who need to use the
supermarket itself. So for us at the moment, it's with
the fencing up, with the lack of car parking, it
certainly has affective businesses for us. We've seen kind of
(02:00):
a drop in our numbers over the last two weeks
in particular, yeah, right, and for us as well, we've
just started doing dinner trade and it was going really well,
you know in terms of numbers. We're just growing up
and we're just talking about that earlier. For us. Now
over the last two weeks it's slowly seen a drop off,
you know, and that's for us that's concerning because leading
(02:21):
into the dry season as well. We're really hoping, you know,
to continue to build that side of the business.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Absolutely, and you want to offer something to Territorians that's
a little bit different. I was saying to you guys
off air. I took my daughter there for dinner last Thursday.
Then her and her friend went there on Saturday night
for dinner because it is like it's a great little
place to go and it's you know, a beautiful food obviously,
but as you've said, you know, without those car parks,
(02:46):
and because the fence is so sort of high, it
really you know, the street feels quite closed off. Even
people going to vote. I would imagine throughout this week
you're wondering exactly we conduck in to go and vote
if those fences have to stay up the whole time
that this work gets underway.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
No, defences are not going to stay up the whole time.
I mean, based on your timeline, they're closing our side
of the street and then they will start working on
the other side of the street, which would then impact
the outer side. Yeah, that as it goes along, Even
with the double pedestrian they've only opened up the second
pedestrian crossing for the polling, so once the polling is finished,
(03:27):
they're actually going to close off that that right from
our under that's what they're going to do. So Yeah,
So the limited access to to you know, to our
side of the street, as.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I mean you touched on a moment ago. The impact
that it's having on the business, like, is that something
you can quantify as the trade sort of like at
night time? Has it dropped, you know, fifty percent or
have you got have you got any idea at this
point or is it still a bit early to tell.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah, looking at the numbers over the last two weeks,
it's probably about a free percent drop of Yeah, and
for us that is, Yeah, it's significant to our business
because that loss of forty percent also does mean not
so much in terms of but for our team as well,
so they're not getting the same shifts. Yeah, So for us,
we've got to be really mindful in terms of what
our look like and things.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
But what are customers saying to you?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Look, every day we asked you getting customers asking the
questions like, oh, what's happening you know, or when they're
doing so, so when how long is this going to be?
So you know, like there's a lot of people who
still doing on what's happening, Katie, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And what are they telling you, Like, what's the council
saying to you, because I know I asked the CEO
Simone Saunders about it last week. She said that, you
know that it's regrettable that it's having an impact on
businesses like you guys, but that work needs to get underway.
I mean, what, like, what do you feel needs to
happen here?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
From my point of view, I think probably better consultation.
I think, you know, for us, at the beginning of
the consultation process, we felt like of businesses were just
lumped in so we were just same as everyone else,
you know, but at the end of the day, we're
the ones having a business. There were the one paying
council rates. So for us, I thought that was a
little bit disappointing. And you know, for us, we're trying
(05:13):
to remain positive, trying to move forward. So you know,
we're trying to proactive organize a meeting with council to
find out what the scope of works, you know, provide
feedback in terms of what that would look like for us,
and you know, maybe work together and a lot of
the kind of comments that came through from the traders
that attended a meeting that we organized, was probably probably
(05:33):
not taken on board what we felt. You know, we
talked about the fencing, we talked about some of those elements,
and then you know, when the fencing went up, it
currently looks like the current states. So for us, you know,
that was really kind of frustrating as well, like why
bother it seemed like there was already a preconceived idea. Yeah,
and talking about the works as well, it would really
be good to see some core flutes or some posters
(05:55):
actually advising people maybe look maybe making it look a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Nicer as yeah, and telling people exactly what's going to
go on, Like have they given you an indication when?
First off, I think when those fences are going to
come down, and then when the work's actually going to
be complete.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
The most recent update the high impact works were men
to be completed in July August, so yeah, the project
was only supposed to run until July. Most recently, the
update says now August, and that was in the inn
ten years as well, so you.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Know it's not direct with you guys.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, So yeah, we do get a weekly update, but
that was also in the Nten News as well. But
for us, you know, the project only started five weeks
ago and we're already a month behind apparently, So for
that kind of things, you know, it's yeah, we added.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Ones in the shop, you know, watching them work, it's
it's like it just feels like there's no sense of urgency,
you know, tree theaty, I'm still packing out a coffee
shop and then there's no workers out there. There's no contracts, so.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Nobody's out there, and you got I mean that would
be frustrating, right because you're thinking, this is having a
huge impact on my business and there doesn't seem to
be working work happening all day long.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, I think at the end of the day, like
you know, who is holding the contractors accountable for the
delay in this whole this whole project.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I think it's a fair question to ask because for
you guys, this is having an impact on you in
terms of running your business. It's having an impact on
your staff in terms of their shifts, it's having an
impact on customers as well, So you want it to
happen as quickly as possible. Do you think once it
is all complete? I mean, are you are you supportive
(07:35):
of it more long term in terms of how it
is supposed to look once it's finished, or have you
not really been given the consultation to know exactly what
it's going to look like.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
We're trying to remain positive and ultimately, like Jaws, is
actually the really positive one. Probably a little bit more
skeptical at times, but to me, you know, you know,
at the end of the day, if we have a
really you know, green street, a cool street, that's great, yep,
concerned there's still a lot of traders. Is the car
parking so in front of us we lose five car parks.
(08:06):
You know, they're putting in a parking station for bicycles
and scooters, they're putting in a new walkway, garden beds,
so convenience wise, long term for us, we're not going
to be as better off. But hopefully with a nicest street,
it does actually achieve what council's looking to do, you know,
bringing more visitors, but you know, hopefully not at a
detrimental existing customers and so forth as well.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Well.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Look, I hope that you know that it happens sooner
rather than later. I mean, what is your message for
counsel today, is it please you know, get this completed
as quickly as possible. What is your message for them?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I think definitely get this complete as soon as possible.
And also in the meantime, really days only two paestrian
walkways and it's just cleaning those up. Like it's we
walk the streets every day. We you know, we cross
the street and they're dirty, their smelly, ye and they're
(09:05):
not pleasant. Like at the moment it's beautiful drives seas
and there's people walking already. We have cruise ships coming
to town. We have you know, thousands of people walking
down the streets, and I think, yeah, it's important for
them to even be working harder to clean up the
rubbish and the streets.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And I reckon that.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I like, I think what you're saying as well about
having some core flutes or something up so people know
what's happening too and realize that those businesses are still
open or even if there was an opportunity and correct
me if I'm wrong, but for you guys to have
some signage up on that fencing maybe and for other
businesses to have some signage on that fencing saying hey,
we're still open. And you know a bit of an
arrow pointing to where those businesses are. And I know,
(09:48):
I'm sure you're not alone. I'm sure that the other
businesses on the street feel exactly the same issue. And
you've probably had those discussions with Thumb.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah. Absolutely, like all the businesses down there, we all
share the same sentiment. I guess for us as well,
it's a good sense of community as well. You know,
so everyone is supporting each other. And you know, for
us as well, the continue support that we get from
our community, people who come and find us every day,
though it's difficult that making that effort, and for us
that's really kind of we're really thankful.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Well, it is some of the best food in Darwin
and coffee, so I know that they will always drive
their best. But look, you two are also such positive people,
and I know that it's really jewels probably not in
your nature to even you know, be on the radio
wanting to talk about this, because you are such a
positive person and you're always so positive about your business.
(10:37):
So I really appreciate you both coming in and talking
to me. But keep that positivity because the community really
appreciates it. And I know so many people love what
you guys do so thank you so much for your
time this morning, both of you, Jules and Richard, thank you,
Thank you, Kenny,
If you've been down Smith Street lately, you might have
been asking yourself what's going on? There are fences up
and for many of the local businesses there, it's been
a pretty tough time. I think you'd have to say
is the street appears to be closed for businesses on
one side, but the businesses are anything but closed. They're
open and they are very keen for you to continue
(00:22):
to support them while these council works are underway. Now
joining me in the studio are the owners of McCarn
stop and Copy Stop, Richard and Jules. Good morning to
you both. Lovely to have you both in the studio. Now,
how long ago did the work on Smith Street get underway?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
The work started and of March, start of April yep, yeah,
we defenses going up fairly late actually because of the
late green currently.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah, what like from your perspective, what kind of impact
has it had on the business on the Carn't stop
on Smith Straight.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I think, like you said, you know, the street appears
to be closed. I think people from the other side
are finding hard to cross the road and the car
parking essentially they take they're removing nineteen car parks. But
obviously with the works at the moment, people are finding
it really challenging to get to us.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So at the nineteen car parks they're being removed long term,
are they correct, Yes, But at the moment, like it's
a situation where you literally can sort of just park
on one side of the straight right.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Is there's just parking on one side of the street. Yes,
very limited at the moment. I think it's really kind
of difficult to actually find easy car parking there, so
people are having to park into Woolies and then taking
out car parks for people who need to use the
supermarket itself. So for us at the moment, it's with
the fencing up, with the lack of car parking, it
certainly has affective businesses for us. We've seen kind of
(02:00):
a drop in our numbers over the last two weeks
in particular, yeah, right, and for us as well, we've
just started doing dinner trade and it was going really well,
you know in terms of numbers. We're just growing up
and we're just talking about that earlier. For us. Now
over the last two weeks it's slowly seen a drop off,
you know, and that's for us that's concerning because leading
(02:21):
into the dry season as well. We're really hoping, you know,
to continue to build that side of the business.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Absolutely, and you want to offer something to Territorians that's
a little bit different. I was saying to you guys
off air. I took my daughter there for dinner last Thursday.
Then her and her friend went there on Saturday night
for dinner because it is like it's a great little
place to go and it's you know, a beautiful food obviously,
but as you've said, you know, without those car parks,
(02:46):
and because the fence is so sort of high, it
really you know, the street feels quite closed off. Even
people going to vote. I would imagine throughout this week
you're wondering exactly we conduck in to go and vote
if those fences have to stay up the whole time
that this work gets underway.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
No, defences are not going to stay up the whole time.
I mean, based on your timeline, they're closing our side
of the street and then they will start working on
the other side of the street, which would then impact
the outer side. Yeah, that as it goes along, Even
with the double pedestrian they've only opened up the second
pedestrian crossing for the polling, so once the polling is finished,
(03:27):
they're actually going to close off that that right from
our under that's what they're going to do. So Yeah,
So the limited access to to you know, to our
side of the street, as.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I mean you touched on a moment ago. The impact
that it's having on the business, like, is that something
you can quantify as the trade sort of like at
night time? Has it dropped, you know, fifty percent or
have you got have you got any idea at this
point or is it still a bit early to tell.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah, looking at the numbers over the last two weeks,
it's probably about a free percent drop of Yeah, and
for us that is, Yeah, it's significant to our business
because that loss of forty percent also does mean not
so much in terms of but for our team as well,
so they're not getting the same shifts. Yeah, So for us,
we've got to be really mindful in terms of what
our look like and things.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
But what are customers saying to you?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Look, every day we asked you getting customers asking the
questions like, oh, what's happening you know, or when they're
doing so, so when how long is this going to be?
So you know, like there's a lot of people who
still doing on what's happening, Katie, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And what are they telling you, Like, what's the council
saying to you, because I know I asked the CEO
Simone Saunders about it last week. She said that, you
know that it's regrettable that it's having an impact on
businesses like you guys, but that work needs to get underway.
I mean, what, like, what do you feel needs to
happen here?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
From my point of view, I think probably better consultation.
I think, you know, for us, at the beginning of
the consultation process, we felt like of businesses were just
lumped in so we were just same as everyone else,
you know, but at the end of the day, we're
the ones having a business. There were the one paying
council rates. So for us, I thought that was a
little bit disappointing. And you know, for us, we're trying
(05:13):
to remain positive, trying to move forward. So you know,
we're trying to proactive organize a meeting with council to
find out what the scope of works, you know, provide
feedback in terms of what that would look like for us,
and you know, maybe work together and a lot of
the kind of comments that came through from the traders
that attended a meeting that we organized, was probably probably
(05:33):
not taken on board what we felt. You know, we
talked about the fencing, we talked about some of those elements,
and then you know, when the fencing went up, it
currently looks like the current states. So for us, you know,
that was really kind of frustrating as well, like why
bother it seemed like there was already a preconceived idea. Yeah,
and talking about the works as well, it would really
be good to see some core flutes or some posters
(05:55):
actually advising people maybe look maybe making it look a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Nicer as yeah, and telling people exactly what's going to
go on, Like have they given you an indication when?
First off, I think when those fences are going to
come down, and then when the work's actually going to
be complete.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
The most recent update the high impact works were men
to be completed in July August, so yeah, the project
was only supposed to run until July. Most recently, the
update says now August, and that was in the inn
ten years as well, so you.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Know it's not direct with you guys.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, So yeah, we do get a weekly update, but
that was also in the Nten News as well. But
for us, you know, the project only started five weeks
ago and we're already a month behind apparently, So for
that kind of things, you know, it's yeah, we added.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Ones in the shop, you know, watching them work, it's
it's like it just feels like there's no sense of urgency,
you know, tree theaty, I'm still packing out a coffee
shop and then there's no workers out there. There's no contracts, so.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Nobody's out there, and you got I mean that would
be frustrating, right because you're thinking, this is having a
huge impact on my business and there doesn't seem to
be working work happening all day long.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, I think at the end of the day, like
you know, who is holding the contractors accountable for the
delay in this whole this whole project.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I think it's a fair question to ask because for
you guys, this is having an impact on you in
terms of running your business. It's having an impact on
your staff in terms of their shifts, it's having an
impact on customers as well, So you want it to
happen as quickly as possible. Do you think once it
is all complete? I mean, are you are you supportive
(07:35):
of it more long term in terms of how it
is supposed to look once it's finished, or have you
not really been given the consultation to know exactly what
it's going to look like.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
We're trying to remain positive and ultimately, like Jaws, is
actually the really positive one. Probably a little bit more
skeptical at times, but to me, you know, you know,
at the end of the day, if we have a
really you know, green street, a cool street, that's great, yep,
concerned there's still a lot of traders. Is the car
parking so in front of us we lose five car parks.
(08:06):
You know, they're putting in a parking station for bicycles
and scooters, they're putting in a new walkway, garden beds,
so convenience wise, long term for us, we're not going
to be as better off. But hopefully with a nicest street,
it does actually achieve what council's looking to do, you know,
bringing more visitors, but you know, hopefully not at a
detrimental existing customers and so forth as well.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Well.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Look, I hope that you know that it happens sooner
rather than later. I mean, what is your message for
counsel today, is it please you know, get this completed
as quickly as possible. What is your message for them?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I think definitely get this complete as soon as possible.
And also in the meantime, really days only two paestrian
walkways and it's just cleaning those up. Like it's we
walk the streets every day. We you know, we cross
the street and they're dirty, their smelly, ye and they're
(09:05):
not pleasant. Like at the moment it's beautiful drives seas
and there's people walking already. We have cruise ships coming
to town. We have you know, thousands of people walking
down the streets, and I think, yeah, it's important for
them to even be working harder to clean up the
rubbish and the streets.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And I reckon that.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I like, I think what you're saying as well about
having some core flutes or something up so people know
what's happening too and realize that those businesses are still
open or even if there was an opportunity and correct
me if I'm wrong, but for you guys to have
some signage up on that fencing maybe and for other
businesses to have some signage on that fencing saying hey,
we're still open. And you know a bit of an
arrow pointing to where those businesses are. And I know,
(09:48):
I'm sure you're not alone. I'm sure that the other
businesses on the street feel exactly the same issue. And
you've probably had those discussions with Thumb.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah. Absolutely, like all the businesses down there, we all
share the same sentiment. I guess for us as well,
it's a good sense of community as well. You know,
so everyone is supporting each other. And you know, for
us as well, the continue support that we get from
our community, people who come and find us every day,
though it's difficult that making that effort, and for us
that's really kind of we're really thankful.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Well, it is some of the best food in Darwin
and coffee, so I know that they will always drive
their best. But look, you two are also such positive people,
and I know that it's really jewels probably not in
your nature to even you know, be on the radio
wanting to talk about this, because you are such a
positive person and you're always so positive about your business.
(10:37):
So I really appreciate you both coming in and talking
to me. But keep that positivity because the community really
appreciates it. And I know so many people love what
you guys do so thank you so much for your
time this morning, both of you, Jules and Richard, thank you,
Thank you, Kenny,
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