The owner of Essendon restaurant, The Brickmakers Arms says that the introduction of parking restrictions in December last year has forced the closure of his business.
Steven Patruno, who poured $1.4 million into the business over its two year life, says that the one-hour parking restrictions brought in by the Moonee Valley Council on Brewster Street in December last year impacted heavily on the venue’s patronage.
“It’s killed the business. It’s totally killed it. I can’t afford to keep trading every week,” Patruno told The Leader.
“For 10 months we’ve not been able to have customers park in the area.”
The Council amended the restrictions in October this year by adding an additional hour onto the time limit, however Patruno says that the change has come too late to save his business. Patruno says that 20 staff members will lose their jobs as a result of the closure.
“People don’t realize how much damage they can do on other people’s business over silly things like parking,” says Patruno.
“We wouldn’t have this problem if the council had even spoken to us about it or said anything in the first place.”
According to Mayor Andrea Surace, the Council engaged in extensive parking studies and community consultation before introducing the one hour parking limit, adding there are often ‘competing interests’ between the needs of businesses, visitors and residents.
The Brickmakers Arms last day of trade will be Christmas Eve, 2015.