Walking through the fruit and vegetable section of Preston Market on a Saturday afternoon can be a clamorous experience. As closing time ticks nearer, the shouting gets louder.Two fruit shops have closed up at Preston Market in recent months.It’s been a little bit quieter, however, among the rows of gleaming capsicums and crates of soil-covered potatoes in the past month or so after the closure of two well-established market fruiterers.
“It has been really felt by the market in terms of them leaving,” says independent Darebin councillor Gaetano Greco, who has campaigned for the Preston Market to stay as it is.“It’s highlighted what’s going on. At the same time people love the market, the market still lives. They’ll keep coming. There’s been some turnover, the market keeps coming out on top.”
Some believe it’s caused a shift in what the market is about. Rather than a weekly visit to shop for essentials, the younger crowd might prefer to drop in just for lunch and to enjoy the atmosphere.“The new generation, they don’t spend much money like the older people,” says owner of Original Fruit & Nut, Fadi Hamdani.
That planning visual is outdated. Preston Market must be prioritised. It is the heartbeat of the community VicGovAu rwynnemp MatthewGuyMP michaelobrienmp DanielAndrewsMP IMHO If you push through this developer project, you should resign from local Gov and politics
They don't have money to spend. Rent kills them and wages are shit. Boomers are too blame.