It’s open
Looks pretty fresh to me, Lee. (click on image to enlarge)
A Bright welcome to Woolies
It’s been a long time coming but the new Woolworths supermarket in Bright has finally opened. Not surprisingly it was packed with shoppers. My impression is that a lot of them had come from other towns & outlying areas like Mt Beauty and even Myrtleford. See, I told ya so Save Bright. Anyway, we’ll give it our first try-out tonight after the crowds have gone … back to the hills. You can also click on these smaller photos of the outside to enlarge:
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I wonder if Woolies has already sold out of cigarettes? Apparently there’s a big rush on to beat the tax hike.
As long as they’ve got plenty of booze left I’m happy.
And interestingly, when there were only few people in the IGA, my husband had trouble parking in the main street. Must have been a great day for the retailers as well
Just got back from our first shop @ the new Woolies.
The first thing you notice is how much space you have to move in, even though they were still very busy. That’s because the aisles are very wide and then there are wide corridors at the back and between the aisles and the check-outs.
The next thing is how clean it is. Well, it is new.
The prices were, overall, better than what we’ve been used to.
And the quality & choice … speaks for itself.
Overall, it made shopping less of a chore and, quite frankly, pleasurable.
It could be first day ‘euphoria’ but there’s no doubt it’s a step up.
On behalf of the good burghers of Myrtleford may I say we’ll miss the extra business from Bright, however, all the best!
I love the new store, the huge range of items was fantastic. I’m really glad we got a Woolies and not a Coles as Coles dont have a great range of items. The specials were amazing, the every day prices were low. I even spotted some current IGA staff shopping there!
PS Ray you are right, i spoke to some Woolworths staff that I know and they said alot of the shoppers today came from Mt Beauty and Myrtleford, I guess they know this as they asked them……
It was very heartening to see how many locals were there today. It just goes to prove that the locals are in favour of progress and choice. When I went today it was like a who’s who of Bright and surrounding townsfolk. It was like a massive social gathering and such a positive vibe. Well done Woolies and the locals that are supporting you. PS also went to IGA today as they had chicken schnitzels 4 for $4.00 and I do like a bargain.
Michelle is right, there were heaps of locals from Bright in the supermarket. I will still go to IGA for their specials, and to Woolies every week for theirs. Food is getting expensive, and like many people will shop around, now there is a choice, to grab all the best bargains…..
Congratulations Bright (and don’t forget to get a Frequent Shopper Card.)
I am so pleased for you Ray. It’s been a very entertaining read for some time. What ever will you do now?
By the way do you know how much you have to spend at a Woollie’s (using their own Everyday Rewards Card) to get a $50 gift voucher?
$10,969
That’s almost as good as Barnaby World
Happy day’s!
Don’t worry, the Save Bright lot will find something else to protest. In fact there’s another project coming up.
Now I’m not going to name any names, but I have already spotted two people, shopping at Woolworths, that were in the height of Save Brights campaigns, in the local paper waiving “No Coles for Bright” banners around, the day they had their big hoopla at the Clocktower. I realise this is Woolies and not Coles, but they were all carrying on about a “Big Multi National” coming into town, and lo and behold here are two of them on Day 2 shopping there, I actually overheard one of them say “Gee that’s cheap”.
So basically Save Bright were indeed a bunch of: Hypocrites !!!
Hey Ray, whats the next Project coming up????????????
Thanks BOW. I think it’s okay to name them, as long as you’re sure of their identity. If they were there then … well, they were there.
The other project is the Rosedale building.
BOW, you might have spotted two Save Brighters shopping there, but I can tell you two of the Save Brighters including one of the trolley pushers have got jobs at Woolies. I guess the old saying of “If you can’t beat them, join them.
Project ended up at $13 million plus $4 million fitout – Total $17million. Just shows the confidence they have in our great town
I’m not surprised that Woolies went well over the original $6.5 million proposed by the original developer, John. But $17 millon ??? That’s just fantastic.
I think it’s going to work – for them AND for Bright.
There was a really great article about Woolies in yesterdays Border Mail. It described how most people are really happy about increased competition in Bright, and how 80 jobs is fantastic for the town.
Unfortunately I didn’t buy the BM yesterday and the story is not on their website.
John,
I don’t think those development figures are correct. I think you spoke to someone who would like to think they know it all. I am sure the accountants haven’t finished all the accounting for the exercise yet and the final figure should be less GST which is the standard practice. I doubt that Woolies would bandy around figures like that when they have shareholders to answer to.
Right Ray – lets be proactive and start agitating FOR the Rosedale development. Sure beats playing catch up with the about to be formed “Save our Wasteland” group.
Percy, I’ve written several posts in support of the Rosedale Project over the past 6 months:
HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/rosedale-revisited/
HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/we-better-not-do-this-in-bright/
HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/bright-aint-gonna-go-like-beechworth/
HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/bright-aint-lorne/
HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/lets-look-at-echuca/
& HERE: http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/no-decision-on-rosedale-yet/
I’ve also pushed for it at the council’s Bright Framework committee, of which I’m a member.
I’m not sure which way the council is going to jump on this but we might find out soon. The last I heard they had asked the developer to come up with a management plan for protection of any aboriginal artefacts that might be found in the digging. I kid you not. Even though the original approval pre-dates the 2007 Aboriginal Artefacts Act by several years it seems they’re asking the developer to comply with the new legislation.
I’ll be interested to see if it’s on the agenda for this Tuesday’s council meeting. It should be.
A Cultural Heritage Managment Plan is a standard State Government requirement now when the earth is to be disturbed. I believe that, as the approval for the site lapsed , the new proposal has to be dealt with under current regulations. Don’t blame the Council on this one.
The current approval has NOT lapsed. The new proposal does not change the footprint and is only a modification to the top floor. Furthermore, there is no change to the established use of the site – tourist accommodation, which is another exemption under the Act. Tell me how this should now be caught in the net of the new legislation? It’s only being caught because the council wants it to be.
Ray, did you go to the official opening? I understand that Daryl Pearce (as acting Mayor whilst Nino Mautone is overseas)opened it. Do you think it is somewhat ironic that Daryl opened it when he was one of the two Shire Councillors that voted against the planning application a couple of years ago. Politics can be a strange thing!
Hi Greg. No I didn’t go to the official opening (although you’d reckon Woolies would have invited me!). I agree it’s ironic for Daryl to do the opening, but it would have been equally hypocritical for Nino to do it, after his comments regarding the wall dispute. Maybe the councillors should have just stayed away and left it to Ian Nicholls.
SUZIE, the figures were advised to me at the official opening and I can assure you the information came from very very senior people who would be absolutely well informed of the current cost of the project. It was not second or third hand information. Of course the EXACT cost will probably not be finalised for some months, but any well organised company like Woolies would have a very good idea of their costs to this stage.
GREG LEE. Daryl did not open the new store. The opening was done by National Party Member Bill Sykes. Daryl did speak and I must admit was very good. He even admitted to all present that he voted against the project as a councillor, but that he had now got over it
(Daryl Pearce) admitted to all present that he voted against the project as a councillor, but that he had now got over it
That’s so big of him. Got over it? I think Daryl needs to get over being a backwards thinking retrograde, quite frankly.
Yes its official – two former Save Bright advocates are current employees, just spotted them working there this morning………….
Who are they?
I dont want to publically name them – they know who they are – both were wearing “No Coles for Bright” T Shirts at a Rally a few years ago – Ray I have seen the pic before on your website, check out all the faces in that pic then wander into Woolies, you will spot them in there………………..
Fair enough. It’s the height of hypocrisy – protest against a development and then go and get a job there. Unbelievable.
Not unbelievable at all. It’s typical.
Glad it’s finally up. Choice = competition = win for consumers.
PS: Ray, I haven’t commented in a while. But, i have been reading your blog.
Cheers.
Hi Cam. Yep, it’s amazing that it ever got there. A tribute to Woolies’ persistence, I’d say. And I believe they just spent whatever it took. The end result is a much better looking supermarket than you find in most other places. Tell that to the retrogrades though, they don’t get it.
Of the 70 jobs created at Woolworths only 20 were from the Bright district with nearly 50 from Myrtleford
These 20 were mostly 20 hours a week too
If Andrew Davis is right and 300 hours were reduced at the IGA that equates to a net increase of 2 full time local jobs
As all jobs at IGA are local there is areal possibility of effective job transfers from Bright to Myrtleford
A
Got cut off above
The point of the above is this is going to be very very volatile and never believe Council feasability studies
Of the 70 jobs created at Woolworths only 20 were from the Bright district with nearly 50 from Myrtleford
Cynic, I’m very “cynical” about your information and its accuracy. How on earth would you know the above statement to be true unless you are a Woolies manager? I doubt that’s the case. And if you were a Woolies manager you wouldn’t be trying so hard to discredit them, now would you?
Also, how would you know that “all jobs at IGA are local (to Bright)”?
Your claim that Woolies provides only “a net increase of 2 full time local jobs” is clearly biased … and laughable.
Believe me its accurate
Just interested in how you responded to real world data
You shop in Woolies do some research for a change and ask their staff
No I don’t believe you. And it’s not up to me to do some research to disprove your claim. You made it, you prove it.
As for “real world data”, you need to put a “real” name to your source (and to your comment) to make it “real”.
Question for Cynic on Spin….Since when has Myrtleford been “foreign” – it is as local as is possible. We are all part of the same Shire
Unless the people from Myrtleford (if any) employed by Woolies are first job holders (unlikely) then there will be resultant vacancies in Mytleford for Bright residents to aspire to We can’t ever say that vacancies in Bright must be reserved for Bright residents etc etc.
We do not live in a vacuum
Good point(s) Percy. The other point is that if 50 of the 70 jobs went to Myrtleford residents (and I seriously doubt that anyway) my guess is that’s because they wanted the jobs more.