Elsie Lange
When Siobhan McGrory opened her Forty Winks franchise on one of Sunbury’s main strips 32 years ago, she didn’t think its downfall would be road works, a pandemic and a train line upgrade.
The last four years have been a blow to her business, and in turn, her livelihood.
She’s devastated to be closing its doors, and feels as if her needs as a business owner were not properly compensated or taken into consideration since road upgrades outside her shop began in 2017.
“The site that I have is the number one spot in Sunbury, we get 19,000 cars per road per day along Gap Road, and Horne Street … that’s why they did the upgrade,” Ms McGrory said.
“It was a nightmare … it took two years, they cut the electricity line, they cut the gas line, it took them half a week to do half a driveway, customers couldn’t get in and out.
“People totally by-passed us, figures just plummeted big time.”
While the works took place between 2017 and 2019, Ms McGrory said her business suffered major financial losses – Forty Winks experienced a 20 per cent reduction in turnover in 2019 compared to the previous three years.
Just as sales had started to recover in the beginning of 2020, coronavirus hit.
Had it not been for JobKeeper, she said the store wouldn’t have survived until now.
But with the Gap Road level crossing removal project under way, she doesn’t believe she has a viable business to sell anymore.
The project will force Gap Road to close between Horne and Evans streets from Monday, May 30 to late 2022.
Responding to questions from Star Weekly, a Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) spokesperson said they were working closely with traders, Hume council and the Sunbury Business Association to limit disruption to businesses while they complete the “much-needed” project.
“Works to remove the dangerous and congested Gap Road level crossing will be completed later this year, making Sunbury safer and more connected, and boosting opportunity for people and businesses in Melbourne’s growing north west,” the spokesperson said.
It is understood RPV provided wayfinding and ‘open for business signage’, local advertising, window cleaning, driveway widening, and is paying for advertising and signage for Forty Winks’ closing down sale.
Ms McGrory also blamed a lack of parking in the town centre as another issue undermining businesses.
At a council meeting last month, Hume councillor Jarrod Bell lamented a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal delay to a major new car park in Sunbury town centre.
“That is incredibly disappointing for the Sunbury community, who are crying out for increased commuter and retail parking in our town centre,” Cr Bell said.
Ms McGrory’s request for a 10-year franchise renewal required her to spend $150,000 to $200,000 on upgrades for her store, but she couldn’t justify the investment given her current sales figures.
She said she’s sad for her staff, especially her store manager, Grace, who’s been there for 10 years, who will lose their jobs – but celebrates what the store has achieved in its more than three decades.
“I have even been selling beds to the grandchildren of my original customers – how good is that?” she said.
Everything must go in the store by Thursday, March 31.
Details: gicancer.org.au
