Perth, Western Australia September 22, 2007 Home News Time Out Letters Write a Letter Classifieds Search Real Estate Trades & Services Submit About Contact Us Advertising Legal	Market traders told to quit Station Street Markets...'an important part of Subiaco's fabric'. Most stallholders at Subiaco's Station Street markets have been given notice to vacate by October 28, leaving some with Christmas stock and nowhere to sell it. Stallholder Denise Chown said they were called to a meeting late last Friday, September 14, and told of the decision to close 60% of stalls. The remaining 40% will continue to trade. The closures clear the way for development of a four-storey office block on the site, with approval from the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority. Ms Chown said she was deeply shocked by the news, which ended her 12-year association with the markets. "We were called to a meeting at very short notice on Friday and told the news that some of us had to be out by the end of next month and the whole thing will be demolished," Ms Chown said. "The markets are an important part of Subiaco's culture, but we don't fit in with the new-look Subiaco being created by the Subiaco Redevelopment Authority." Developer Greg Pearce, who addressed the stallholders' meeting, said some traders might have been surprised that they fell within the cut-off line. But he criticised anyone who said they were surprised at the closure of the southern end of the market. "Those at the southern end of the market realised they would have to go - it was just a matter of when," he said. "We didn't know what the cut-off line would be until we had planning approval, which came at the end of August. "So we really didn't know how much room we'd need until now. "When building is finished we may - and I stress the may - be able to put another 20-odd stalls back on to new blocks." They would be part of a piazza component of the redevelopment. Mr Pearce said the stalls retained or added would be mixed use in nature with an emphasis on specialist food retailers, which he said was the market's real strength. Subiaco mayor Heather Henderson said the council strongly supported retaining the markets. She said while heritage listing had failed, the council might consider alternative sites in a bid to retain them. "The markets are an important part of Subiaco's social fabric, introducing an element of diversity," she said. "The thing is that when you have people stopping you in the street and saying: 'What can we do to save the markets?', you know it's an important issue, not just to people in Subiaco but in Western Australia." Do you have something to say? Write to us and we may publish your letter next week. BACK TO TOP < PREVIOUS - HOME - NEXT> Copyright © 1996 - 2009 Post Newspapers Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.