It’s going up
Pretty, ain't it? Click on photo to enlarge (and I do mean "large"!)
Early this morning about a dozen large trucks rolled into Bright with the first tilt-up concrete walls for the new Woolworths supermarket building on the corner of Gavan Street (Great Alpine Road) & Star Road (a side street). By this afternoon the controversial Star Road delivery bay and storage area walls were up. Now we can finally see what the shopkeepers to the left here were complaining about. Yes, it blocks their view of the surrounding hills but …. so what? If you’re in a shopping centre and your outlook is of hills & trees, guess what that means? It means you’re not in a busy and viable town. Look, no shopkeeper has a right to a view. I should point out that this is not the main view of the development that our visitors will have – which will be an open and pleasant vista from the G.A.R. Also, the ‘Great Wall’ will have surface treatments, a pergola and screening plants to soften its impact.
Promoting 'Beautiful Bright'.
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Here I am stuck in an airport reading your post! I left for Melbourne this morning and saw the trucks heading up to Bright. I thought there was more than a dozen trucks. Do you have any other photos Ray?
Please post if you do.
Only one other photo that’s much the same, Andrew. I’ll take more as it progresses but that’s all they’ve done so far.
Ray I agree with you that no business should have a right to a view.
BUT – seriously, if you think that the concrete structure that has gone up in anyway fits in with the surrounding building shape and form – then you’ve got rocks in your head.
Oh hang on, the impact of the 9m high walls is going to be “softened” with a 9m high pergola, 9m high plants and also some “surface treatments” (read: beige or ‘natural’ render).
“Progress” you reckon? Darn good thing folk like you didn’t get onto Council mate!
Hmm, okay, that’s not too personal Wal, so I’ve let it through. Don’t get on your high horse though mate, it IS progress whether you like it or not and no councillor could have stopped that even if they wanted to.
Overall though, I don’t believe the negatives outweigh the positives with this development. Perhaps you should wait and see the finished product and the very positive impacts I believe this development will have for Bright.
Why, I might even meet you in the Woolies aisles for a chat. Wear a name tag so I recognise you, Wal.
Yeah well Ray, you think its progress, most of the town reckons its a downright eyesore – and very poor design to boot.
The Council couldn’t have stopped it because THEY started it. Why would they want to stop it??!
Yes I’ll wait and see, we all will. But I think you’ll find that at the ‘end of the day’ there were many better design options that could have applied to the site. It’s just a pity that we didn’t have any senior officers at the Shire with the backbone to talk through different concepts with the developer.
As for me in Woolies – I’ll stick to my principles and support those corporations that support us thankyou. Unfortunately Mr Luscombes crew aren’t all that interested in ‘us’.
you think its progress (but) most of the town reckons its a downright eyesore – and very poor design to boot
That is just your opinion Wal and you do not speak for “most of the town”. I agree that, at the moment, it looks f…ing ugly, but you need to wait and see the final finished product. Btw, what was there before was a real eyesore. Again, this is just the view from a side street, not the main aspect. The back of IGA looks like shit too and there is no way of softening that impact on the private residences that face it.
The Council couldn’t have stopped it because THEY started it …
Again Wal, that is just your opinion, and a very naive one too. If you think that councils initiate these sort of developments you have no idea how the real world operates.
there were many better design options that could have applied to the site.
Wal, one of the major sticking points was Save Bright and its objections to ANYTHING that was put forward. Quite frankly, the initial design looked much better to me but you guys forced the council to demand certain changes and, in my opinion, you made it worse.
I’ll stick to my principles and support those corporations that support us thankyou
Yeah? I’ll let you into a secret here Wal. Over the past 3 or 4 months Leanne and I have made a conscious decision to do all our shopping @ Coles in Myrtleford. We’ve never done that before but we (like many others I have spoken to) have noticed that since Woolies started to be built in Bright, IGA’s prices have become uncompetitive. It’s like they’re ‘cashing in’ before the competition arrives. Of course that is just my opinion and I can’t say whether that’s true or not but guess what? We are saving about $250 per month. Bring on the competition in Bright.
Ray, you’re missing the point – the MSS and Alpine planning scheme call for active retail frontages in commercial zones. The IGA backs onto a residential area, so back of house is expected there. Anyway this is all old ground and you’ve already shown ample times that you have a limited grasp of town planning so not much point in talking further here.
As for the Council starting it – yes Ray they did. A fella called Dave Barry was employed specifically for it. It was he who approached the previous owner (SW). Fact. I can prove this to you if you dont believe me (you know my email), just ask.
Design options? You think reducing wall height from 10.5 to 8m and pushing to stop trucks reversing in Star road is a bad outcome from objectors do you? Add to this the “softening” measures you use to support the wall.
Shop where you want – I never said I supported IGA OR that I shopped there. But as I said, I think a bit beyond my wallet most of the time. If you dont, thats up to you.
Wal, there was no point in having shops on the supermarket side of Star road. It’s not suitable as a shopping precinct – end of story. Far better (from a town planning perspective) for the development to front Gavan Street, so don’t be naive and self-interested. The existing Star Road group of shops were a mistake in the first place. Look at them – real losing propositions.
You know my email too Wal, but you haven’t given me any proof of what you said (no doubt you would if you could). Again, don’t be ridiculous, all Barry did was negotiate with the developers who were snooping around looking for suitable sites. What would you prefer, a greenfield development on the outskirts, as the developers proposed, or a development that maintains the existing CBD boundaries? You’re making something out of nothing again, and you’re out of your depth commercially.
As for the design options, you guys forced changes that made the main aspect from Gavan Street look worse – that’s what I’m talking about.
And you ALWAYS said you supported IGA – don’t be a hypocrite.
Ray Star Road has always been an active commercial precinct – imagine saying shops shouldnt be in a business 1 zone. Geez and you reckon I’m out of my depth commercially!
I obviously dont need to prove anything because you have just admitted Barry and the Shires role in facilitating the development.
The Gavan St aspect hardly changed one iota – you’re being very naive if you think otherwise.
As for the IGA comment – big deal if I shop there occasionally. Locals do.
Wal, the 5 or 6 shops in Star Rd are THE MOST INACTIVE commercial strip in Bright. That’s because it’s a side street that adds nothing to the commercial centre of town and because you can only park on one side. It’s just an access road connecting the north side of Bright to the CBD.
And I haven’t “admitted” anything about Barry – I speak only from what I know, i.e. he merely facilitated the developer’s requests to find the most suitable site for a supermarket in Bright, and he did that. What’s wrong with that? That’s what he was supposed to do.
As for the Gavan St aspect it has certainly changed – from an attractive glass-fronted & contemporary looking mall to a rather bland (but okay) off-street shop fronts. The mall would actually have had less impact on the other shops in town, do you realise that?
Yes, we all shop at IGA occasionally. I’m not sure why you ever denied it.
Mr Dixon you are a trouble maker
You defame people but always qualify it with its only my opinion because you can never prove anything you say
Y ou have never had to accept responsibilityfor yourwords because locals will never elect you to anything-big surprise that
ill continue to shop at the IGA and other local shops and so will many others
Your defamation of Wal is a disgrace
By the way what have you ever done for this town which would not be self serving
Hi Ron, I don’t know you but that’s a very funny comment. I certainly DO have to accept responsibility for my words, otherwise I wouldn’t still be writing this after 3 years. Got it?
But Ron … who do you believe I have “defamed”. Go on, name them. Wal? Well I don’t think I’ve defamed him but he’s certainly tried to defame me (as are you). But even if I did say something defamatory about “Wal” it’s not defamation, Ron, and it’s not even poor behaviour. Do you want to know why?:
WAL IS AN ALIAS AND NO ONE KNOWS WHO HE IS !!!!
(Although I have my suspicions.)
As for what I have done for Bright … please Ron, do you even live here? I doubt it.
“A fella called Dave Barry was employed specifically for it. ”
That is exactly his job – to source developments, keep the entire Shire developing and looking at new prospects. I assume that the first contact was Coles speaking to the Shire with a site in mind and from Wal’s comments, perhaps Mr Barry approached the then owner. Again, Mr Barry was paid to follow these options through.
The good folk at Myrtleford supported the Country Target, even though most people hate the look of the building. Not to mention, how much trade the store receives!
Now that the developers of the site near the information centre is back on the agenda, no one seems to be opposing that! Yet the building is to very modern and up market.
Exactly Andrew. Dave Barry was an outstanding EDO for Alpine and it’s a shame we lost him to Albury. Look how they’ve gone ahead since.
It is utterly ridiculous to suggest the Council “brought the supermarket to Bright”. Developers like Condor/Coles & Woolworths make their own decisions and when they expressed interest in doing a project and opening a new store in Bright the best outcome was to contain it to the CBD. Otherwise it’d have gone on the outskirts of town, and we certainly don’t want that.
Barry did everything right in approaching Whelan to see if he and adjoining land owners were interested because, in the long run, this development will bring huge economic gains to the town and that’s what he was employed to do.
What a load of rubbish from andrew davis
Declare who you are Davis and i will too
I will then detail the totality of events which you know too well
O f course as Ray would say it is only my opinion
its academic now but it would be fair for the real facts to be known
Ron, there is no need for Andrew to “declare who he is”. That’s not your call. If you have information which you want to share here then what difference does it make if Andrew Davis is his real name or not?
And you don’t have to “out” yourself either, but I’ve got a fair idea who you are.
As you say, it’s all academic now, so what’s the problem? All this subterfuge of “it’ll all come out” etc was a game that Save Bright & others played and it’s wearing more than a bit thin. If you’ve got something to add then just say it.
Ron,
You may be new to this blog (I am not sure), however, not that I have to declare anything to anyone. But, like I have said in the past on this blog, my real name is Andrew Davis and yes I do live in Bright (not that I am in Bright all the time) and NO, I have nothing to do with either Ray nor the Woolworths development.
The point of the fact is Mr Barry was employed to speak to such developers and/or opportunities.
Yes, I agree that it is all academic now – make sure you tell Wal the same.
As to you declaring yourself, I don’t care if Ron is your real name or not. If you have some sort of “proof” or substance to any argument/comment – make it known.
I said in my earlier post that “I assume that the first contact was Coles speaking to the Shire”. I could be wrong! If I am wrong prove it with your information at hand.
Ray,
If “Ron” wants to know my email address – you have my permission to pass this onto him/her.
Only if he asks, Andrew.
Actually I think the first contact came from a different developer, who then referred Condaw to the council. Something like that.
Save Bright & “Ron” have tried all along to make a big deal about how the development was “acquired” by Barry et al, but there is nothing sinister about the way this was done. It was simply inevitable that one day a big time developer would become interested in this town.
And actually, I think we need more of them – not in shopping developments but in upmarket accommodation & residential/leisure developments. Bring em on, it’ll be great for the town. Boom time.
“if you think that the concrete structure that has gone up in anyway fits in with the surrounding building shape and form – then you’ve got rocks in your head.”
Wal Willow, or whoever you are, no one is saying that the supermarket building fits in with the shape of surrounding buildings. In fact the only surrounding building is the pub – should it look like that?
You don’t seem to understand that there is scope in the planning scheme for an “eclectic mix” of building designs & shapes. Everything does not need to (and should not) look uniform and be the same height & design.
Of course we don’t want a lot of buildings in Bright like the Woolies one, but that is not going to happen, Wal. This is a one-off large block building and it DOES compliment the wide range of styles, sizes & shapes in the Bright CBD.
You carry on about it but the fact is it actually fits in and adds to the amenity when you look at the CBD as a whole. You are being blinkered about it – one large supermarket structure tucked mainly away in Star Road does not damage the look & feel of the town. Get over it.
one large supermarket structure tucked mainly away in Star Road does not damage the look & feel of the town.
I think it looks out of place at the moment but that’s just the initial shock. When it is finished and we’ve got used to it, I think you’ll find it won’t bother anyone (except Wal and his malcontent friends from SaveBright).
And it certainly won’t bother our visitors who are used to seeing a lot more block-shaped buildings than we are.
I’m not a visual person so i couldn’t picture the building at all when i looked at the plans but now that the walls are up it is easy to see why everyone fought so hard. It is an abomination!
I’m incensed enough to write in and i can’t see how anyone could say it couldn’t have been better designed. It is the cheapest nastiest concrete box they could find and no amount of window dressing will save it.
The Shire and Councilors who allowed this should hang their heads in shame. I will not be shopping there
Sally B
Sally, I agree that it looks big & awful from Star Road at the moment. Why is that such a concern for you? It’s a side street. And how do you make a better design for a supermarket? I’m not sure – they are big buildings, by necessity.
Don’t worry though, it’s unlikely we’ll get another one in the forseeable future.
And I think we CAN live with this addition. Don’t forget it’s not finished yet and of course the initial impact of the first walls going up comes as a rude shock. I think you’ll get used to it.
You’re judging it by one aspect Sally – the rear view. Take a drive down Wills Street and look at the back of IGA and a few other large buildings there. And they face residences.
What would you suggest as an alternative? Where would you have put this building? Or do you think we should stay a one supermarket town? I don’t.
“Dominic” – whoever you are – umm there are actualy quite a few surrounding buildings – on the opposite side of Star Road. And the planning scheme DOES state that built form should be of similar bulk and scale. This doesnt mean everything should look the same – just be of the same scale. And this new structure CLEARLY IS NOT. There’s only one other high tilt up concrete structure and that is the IGA (which is pretty ordinary as well).
And dont tell me to “get over it” – I’ll be as vocal as I like about things I feel passionate about. And as for ruining the look and feel of the town – let our guests be the judge of that. I was in a shop this morning and overheard two visitors saying they couldn’t believe what they saw – the looks on their faces were of disappointment and sadness. They wont be the only ones with this reaction thats for sure.
Sure “we’ll get used to it”. That goes without saying. But it doesn’t mean what has been built is right.
And what a stupid comment from you Ray “Sally, I agree that it looks big & awful from Star Road at the moment. Why is that such a concern for you? It’s a side street”.
So what you are saying is that its okay to build ‘big and awful’ buildings in side streets (of which Star Road is not by the way).
And you wonder why you received such a poor amount of votes in the elections!
So what you are saying is that its okay to build ‘big and awful’ buildings in side streets
NO. I’m saying it was okay to build ONE large building in ONE side street, being Star Road.
For you to suggest that means I’m advocating that as a general style for the rest of Bright is what is really “stupid”, Wal. I guess clear thinking & comprehension is not your strong suit.
As for our visitors’ reactions, I’ve spoken to about 20 of them this week about it (I’m a bit closer to the tourists than you are Wal) and they’ve ALL said “great to see you’re getting a new supermarket” or something like that.
I think you just make things up to suit your narrow views – like you’ve done throughout the entire debate.
And NO, I was not the least bit surprised to receive a poor vote at the council elections. I know I’m ‘unelectable’ Wal, because I speak my mind and, unfortunately, people only elect church mouses around here. They’re doing a great job though – how’s Mr Steven going and where the hell has he been?
Wal, the Woolies building is of “similar bulk and scale” to a few buildings in Bright: IGA, The Alpine Hotel, The BackPackers, Coach House, The Indoor Pool, etc. So it does conform.
You are misreading the planning scheme. It does not say that ALL buildings must be of similar size, only that they must conform with what is already here, and it does that.
The Woolies building actually balances the mix of large and small. Architecturally speaking it is NOT offensive to have a number of large ‘box’ shapes spread around the town mixed in with lower profile buildings. It breaks the monotony of line and adds to the eclectic mix.
Sorry Wal, I’m in building design myself – I studied town planning too. It fits in.
Just think of it as adding to the variety of shops & shapes in Bright, Wal. You shouldn’t have everything looking the same and besides, how do you build a smaller supermarket and make it viable enough to attract a major like Woolies or Coles?
The answer is you either build it that size or you have just one supermarket in Bright – which is not good for the community and which encourages locals to shop elsewhere in Myrtleford etc, like I have recently decided to do.
However, once Woolies is opened I imagine I’ll shop at both Woolies & IGA, provided IGA start to get more competitive with their prices.
It keeps money in Bright – which is the opposite of what you’ve been saying.
The back of the IGA looks terrible but it is nowhere near as big as this so that’s not much of an argument for saying this is ok!!
I’m not against having two supermarkets at all (and not that long ago we did). What’s happened here is a classic example of big business not giving two hoots about how it fits into a town. They’re almost saying the same thing that you two are “don’t worry we do this all the time, you’ll get used to it!” How patronizing!
As you said before Ray, tourists are probably a lot more used to seeing big boxes than we are which leads to marketing 101 – point of difference! diminishing by the day
Sally, it was Dominic who mentioned the back of IGA, not me, but anyway I think the whole of Wills Street is an eyesore and it faces people’s homes, so in my opinion that’s much worse than what you see in Star Road.
Unfortunately supermarkets need to be big otherwise they are not viable. That is why IGA doubled its size and that is why Foodworks folded. It wasn’t offerring much of an alternative anyway and the days of really small ‘grocer shops’ are just gone.
I agree that ‘big business’ should not dictate design and they didn’t. This went through council approval AND VCAT approval and changes were made. Okay, they’re not ideal but what is?
I think what we’ve got is a reasonable outcome and a good situation for the town – two good sized supermarkets that will have to compete with each other.
As for ‘points of difference’ we have plenty of those and the Woolies development does not detract from our appeal to tourists. Just saying it’s “too big” and “tourists won’t like it” is not a terribly convincing argument, Sally.
Sally, the back of IGA is just as high and is hard up against the footpath. There is no internal loading bay and trucks park in the street to be offloaded. It is, as Ray just said, part of a bigger eyesore, much bigger than the one in Star Road that only faces a few shops.
Also, the Woolies building is set back and there will be plantings, treatments and a pergola added. I think you need to compare finished products before you rush in with hysterical claims of “it’s awful”.
Also Sally, you have to look at tourism in relation to the whole market not just in what you perceive to be our ‘point of difference’.
I think it’s a bit inward looking to suggest we need to keep a new supermarket out of Bright for fear it will diminish our appeal to tourists – it simply won’t have such a negative impact.
The experience right around Australia is that the addition of new developments like this one in tourist towns have had no negative impacts on visitor numbers whatsoever. Quite the opposite in fact.
You see, tourists do like choice and convenience.
Hi Ray. I am a long time reader of your blog, first time commenter, but what Wal & Sally are saying has prompted me to make my first ever entry into this debate which, by the way Wal & Sally, is over!
Cor blimey! What are you two complaining about? There’s no other way to bring a second supermarket to Bright. Make up your minds. Do you want us to be stuck with one store forever? Because that is the only alternative. Try making it smaller? No deal – the big boys won’t be interested.
The developer has done his best, and so has the council & VCAT, to provide a design that fits in as best it can. There is no other suitable site in the Bright unless you want this to be built out at the Tobacco sheds on the outskirts of town or even at Porepunkah maybe? How stupid would that be?
Like Ray & Dominic have said, I suggest you wait and see the finished job before rushing to judgement.
As for tourists and “point of difference”, well yes I think it would create a very big point of difference to be able to offer our tourists some really competitive prices at our supermarkets. A place to park the car is another positive ‘point of difference’ too. I bet other tourists towns will be green with envy when they see what we end up with.
Thanks for the comment Cor. I think Wal & Sally are missing the bigger picture too. Right from the outset the objectors tried to use the “tourist won’t like it” argument. However, most of those people objecting are not even in tourism and actually seem to despise it.
It is patently obvious that tourist towns must grow, modernise & develop if they are to continue to remain viable. You have to move with the times and today’s tourists demand more than a few old shops.
This is a necessary and overdue addition to our town. Hopefully it will spur other shopowners to modernise & update as well. A few accommodation places could do with a facelift too.
Some of us tourists like a big decent supermarket. Just saying – and I’ve seen a few the last couple of weeks.
In Noosa, Rox? Yeah, development hasn’t slowed tourism up there, has it? How’s the tan going?
Tan? I’m burned to a soggy crisp. Noosa, Strathpine, Griffith (hur hur – theirs was actually quite good).
I’m currently in Dayboro and melting.
Anyway, back to the point – if you’re self-catering, believe me, a good supermarket is great, and a reason to come back.
Cor Blimey, you say Porepunkah with Wollies would be stuipid……I think it would sit quite nice along the Ovens River…
Rox That’s the point, the great bulk of our tourists stay in self-catering accommodation, like my place and like the Caravan Parks. Go into Bright during a hoiday period and the IGA supermarket is packed. So is their bottleshop. And you can’t get a park. The tourists have no choice but to shop at the only supermarket in town and of course IGA is well aware of that. Adding another large competing supermarket has to make it better for everyone, tourists & locals alike. IGA don’t like it but they can’t expect to keep the market all to themselves – we get a lot of tourists.
Dazz, it would put Punkah on the map mate.
I think you people are missing the point. It’s not about whether or not to have another supermarket that lives and dies by whether it’s used or not, it’s about the scale and bulk of the building and how it sits in the street. At least that was the grounds i objected on as did many others.
It’s a disgrace and i won’t go there – end of story!
Sally, the ‘scale & bulk’ of the building has already been answered above – it’s within the planning scheme parameters. Do you somehow think that YOU have (or had) a right to stop this development because YOU don’t like it?
You are missing the point big time – Bright is a top tourist town and it was inevitable that one of the large chains would come here. I suggest you just embrace the positives and move on.
Ray i have just read this post
You are at it again THE IGA HAS PUT ITS PRICES UP AND IS CASHING IN
I can only respond to that with one word regrettably -BULLSHIT
Why you persist in denigratiion like this is totally beyond me
Your blog could never be entitled the ALPINE TRUTH
I said no such thing, Andrew. I said this:
However, once Woolies is opened I imagine I’ll shop at both Woolies & IGA, provided IGA start to get more competitive with their prices.
I stand by that. I no longer find Bright IGA competitive and I now shop mainly @ Coles in Myrtleford. I have done so for the past few months and I am making substantial savings.
Ray
I suggest you re read your post no 6 above it does indeed say that
Qualifed afterwards as merely an opinion but clearly meant to damage
So I did, Andrew. And I’ll repeat it:
… we (like many others I have spoken to) have noticed that since Woolies started to be built in Bright, IGA’s prices have become uncompetitive. It’s like they’re ‘cashing in’ before the competition arrives. Of course that is just my opinion and I can’t say whether that’s true or not but guess what? We are saving about $250 per month. Bring on the competition in Bright.
What is your problem with that? It’s not “meant to damage”, it’s an honest opinion based on experience.
My problem with that is none of its true
But ive made my point and iwill leave it at that
In YOUR opinion. In my opinion it is true.
BTW i cant comment on your claimed savings in Myrtleford i dont go there but my honest opinion based on experience is far different
End of story
But you have commented on it! Based on what experience? If you haven’t shopped there how would you know?
I think you’ve forgotten why Bright is a “top” tourist town!
PS – Sorry for the duplicate, put my address in wrong
I know exactly why Bright is a top tourist town, Sally, but what do you think makes it one? Come on, explain yourself, your comment is more than a bit vague.
So does that mean when 20 of us come up on Cup Weekend we do our food and grog shopping down here in Melbourne again – use to do that years ago or go to Myrtleford first day for one big shop. Did notice last couple of years IGA had lowered some of their prices so we shopped there for basics…
Lydia, I notice that a lot of our regular guests bring their food supplies with them. Hopefully, when we’ve got two supermarkets tourists will no longer feel the need to do that and will spend more money in Bright.
All so you can pick it to pieces i guess! …But anyway I do think it is fairly obvious. The River, the hills, and a small town with a laid back feel and look that blends in with its surroundings. All that being lost thanks to the great concrete blob of convenience!
Pick it to pieces? Sally, if you are going to enter a debate then (a) you need to be able to back up what you say and (b) you need to understand that others will address what you say and respond.
As for your definition of what makes Bright a top tourist town, I agree with those things, but I think it’s a lot more than that. You forgot to mention that one of the attractions of STAYING in Bright is its infrastructure – being its accommodation and its shops.
You see, tourists need those things.
So how does a new supermarket (albeit a large concrete box) detract from that appeal? I think, on balance, it actually adds to it. Of course, we don’t want to see another building like that go up in the near future but that’s unlikely to happen, is it?
I think you’ve got to be kidding to suggest that this one-off development diminishes Bright’s appeal. You are overlooking the benefits it brings – to locals AND to tourists alike.
Ray,
It’s very interesting reading the comments now of the people who support the supermarket and those whom oppose. It seems as though there are two parts to the people who oppose.
One is the new supermarket building does not conform with the surroundings and the other is opposing large corporations coming into the town. When I look back over the arguments 12 months ago – most of the business people who opposed the idea, were worried that the then “Coles” supermarket would take their business away – for instance, the local butcher was worried his business will be affected by the new venture as he supplies the local IGA.
Another argument at that time was that when these big supermarket chains come into areas, they also bring other chain stores with them. The likes of Bakers Delight.
All of these arguments are now gone and they seem to be only focused on the building, not giving it the chance to be constructed and landscaped.
Yes Andrew, and it’s somewhat understandable because (you’ve gotta admit) it does look bloody big and ‘in your face’ at the moment. I still believe it will blend in and over time everyone except the real hard-core malcontents will just accept it as part of the mix of the CBD.
Some people don’t understand that good town design involves a variety of shapes & sizes, not uniformity. They get confused and try to say because you, I and others think that this one building is okay, that means we want the rest of Bright to look like that too. Well, obviously we don’t … and it won’t.
The Star looks like shit though and I think Shane really needs to paint it !
I dont think painting the star will make one iota of difference.
It needs some one to leave the gas going in the kitchen………Jewish fire sale!!
I don’t think that the genuine business owners who voiced their objections about the new supermarket have forgotten that they will be affected potentially by the supermarket that they already do work for requiring less and less good from them as people make a choice about where to shop.
There are many sides to the argument about whether we need a new supermarket or not. Some say that the current supermarket is to expensive and they might be – but on the other hand if someone was going to do something that directly impacted upon my ability to earn an income I’d be jumping up and down also. I feel for those small businesses that will be effected by this new supermarket.
Owning a small business in any small town is a precarious occupation. In some regards the small business owner has the same trials as do farmers metaphorically speaking…
If a great big group like Hilton or Quest decided to build a 50 room hotel opposite you Ray – I don’t think that you would be passive about it. As a small business owner you would be very charged up to try to prevent or limit the proposal.
Not having a go at you there Ray – just saying we all need to feed our families.
Alpine Sprite, I cannot see how ANY other business, apart from IGA, might be negatively impacted by the arrival of Woolies – and I doubt that even they will suffer greatly.
But these are old arguments and they have been considered over & over, all the way to VCAT who stated clearly in their decision that the new development would actually benefit other traders in Bright substantially, as it would greatly reduce escape spending.
Which, put in simple terms, means people (like me) will no longer do their weekly shopping in Myrtleford and, as a result, will spend more money in Bright and not just at the supermarket.
As for a 50-room upmarket hotel being built opposite my property, well, I would absolutely look forward to that because it would bring more potential customers to my vicinity. It would also bring more tourists to Bright overall. Competition does not bother me, in fact I welcome it.
I refer to the small businesses – such as farmers who have a seasonal product that fills the seasonal supply needs that supply goods to the already established supermarket not the supermarket itself.
The supermarket is filled with locally produced small specific items not the mainstream vegemite or fish fingers.
These are the small time producers that may have a large percentage of their income derived from the supermarket wholesale – more competition may result in those lines being removed from the shelf and thus these small producers incomes are hit.
Big business worries about big business – small towns need these smaller mostly family based businesses to support the townships themselves through children in schools, wife working at a part time job, both parents supporting scouts, football, tennis etc etc. The threads of a community not the corporate dollar value.
IGA is not “filled with locally produced small specific items”. It does have *some* local produce, but very little, and it is as “mainstream” as any supermarket.
And there are no local “small time producers that … have a large percentage of their income derived from the (Bright IGA) supermarket.”
Sorry ‘AS’, you’re talking nonsense. All of this came out in the debate, and the infamous economic report produced by the discredited expert that the objectors hired, who failed to front up to VCAT – twice failed. Anyway, his written report listed the so-called ‘local suppliers’, most of whom were not even local. And, of the truly local suppliers (about 6 or 7 of them) only one or two were farmers and none of them were dependent on selling produce to IGA.
I know nothing about the reports that you speak off as I’m a recent import (less than 6 months) moved here to take care of Gran.
All that you speak off is way before my time.
Well if no one is effected by the new supermarket then who cares?
Where I was before we had an IGA (not a big supa) and they ‘did’ source local produce to sell in the supermarket. They purchased seedlings from the local nursery, fruit from local growers, veggies from local growers, etc – benefit from living in a small town. Perhaps I was in the last bastion of community caring.
I simply assumed that this one did the same given that we live in an area prolific with local produce.
Well you live and learn!!!
Yes AS, if you’ve only moved here 6 months ago and, as you said in the other thread, you’ve only just returned from an overseas trip, I’m surprised you even know about this blog.
Just on AS’s point – Myrtleford has a thriving produce market (operating over the summer months).
One reason the market does well is that locals factor it in to their grocery shopping – it does well BECAUSE there is a Coles and an IGA, not despite them.
The supermarkets bring the shoppers to town, and while they’re there, they stop in at the produce market.
If (say) they were shopping for their groceries at Wangaratta, then the produce market wouldn’t exist at all.
Years ago, I was involved in a campaign to keep local bank branches open in small country towns. The local businesses all were concerned for the same reason; if people had to go out of town to do their banking, they would shop elsewhere, too.
If a new supermarket keeps Bright locals shopping in Bright, then things like a farmers’ market become more viable, not less. (And if you want to meet someone from Bright, one of the best places to do it is at the Coles or IGA in Myrtleford).
Good time to out some of the Save Bright members who you meet there Zuvele.
My Gran is an avid listener at cards to the rumblings around town.
Some one was saying that you were (Selective Editing – Not a nice person) so I asked around. You were very vocal about Coles and the Shire Elections so i found this blog and I must say it does keep me entertained with your various points of interest and views.
I like to know who the agitators, straight shooters, bullies etc are where I live. It keeps life interesting.
Although I don’t tell Gran that I read this as she’d spit chips at me for encouraging you.
What a load of nonsense, Alpine Sprite.
I wonder when the shops were built in Star Rd nearly 25 yrs ago did the locals have a whinge then…… 25 years later and they sit in well, but just dont dont attract any customers.
I think that’s one of the reasons there’s been so much opposition to the wall, Dazz. The owners and occupiers of those shops were hoping new shops would be opened opposite them, attracting more people to shop in Star Road. Well, bad luck – I don’t think that would have been a good idea anyway.
you asked Ray, how AS knew of your blog and you respond like that. Again another … {derogatory comment edited by blog owner}
I didn’t ask AS that at all, JK, and his/her comment was clearly sarcastic nonsense. Furthermore I don’t need an anonymous person like you to tell me how to run my blog. Okay? Now pull your head in and mind your own business.
You should try cards Ray – they may be old ladies but by goodness most are switched on and have been here longer than you.
The stories they can tell about people here in Bright and what they have done in the past is legendary stuff.
You should try saying something that’s relevant. You’re sounding like a bit of a creep quite frankly.
Visited Bright cup weekend, your garden Ray, was stunning. Gee can not wait until Woolies is operational, as IGA from the Friday morning onwards shelves were empty of a lot of products, although staff were very helpful (not their fault shelves empty), no stock to put on shelves and prices did seem very expensive this year. Bright once again in stunning form. Had good look around Woolies site and we all thought (20 of us) once finished will look great.
Thanks for that Lydia. Glad you enjoyed Bright.