NSW Premier Kristina Keneally’s pledge to support a revitalised Newcastle has its first test today when the government is asked for funds to put up to 100 fledgling businesses in empty inner-city shops.
Renew Newcastle will ask for funds, believed to be less than $1million, to expand its successful program in a submission to Newcastle MP and Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay.
The submission follows an extraordinary board meeting on Monday in the wake of the GPT Group’s shock withdrawal from its $600million Hunter Street mall redevelopment.
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It comes as more than 110 people were invited to a ‘‘round-table’’ meeting today of business and community leaders, called by Ms McKay to discuss Newcastle’s city renewal.
The meeting is scheduled for Noahs on the Beach at 12.30pm.
The invitees included public servants, MPs, local councillors, business leaders – including developers Hilton Grugeon and Jeff McCloy – welfare practitioners, university management and Save our Rail.
Renew Newcastle would use government funds to identify more unused inner-city shops, liaise with owners, ensure repairs to a safe standard and link premises with fledgling businesses, founder Marcus Westbury said.
‘‘What we’re looking at is government support to help us do a job we’re already doing well, which will be something very positive for the city,’’ Mr Westbury said.
‘‘We’ve got a model that doesn’t solve all the city’s problems, but for the next three to five years until the long-term solutions are determined we can keep the city alive.
‘‘Every day we leave city blocks sitting empty, it gets harder to bring people back.’’
Renew Newcastle board member and Hunter Business Chamber chief executive Peter Shinnick said the submission was a simple and relatively inexpensive way for the government to back its words of last week with action.
‘‘We need the NSW Government to stand up and support this, and not leave the city waiting as it did over the GPT issue,’’ Mr Shinnick said.
Renew Newcastle general manager Marni Jackson said there was no shortage of people with business concepts that would attract people back to the inner-city, but signing up shop owners was a hurdle.
Robyn Nunan, who started her Ciao Meow artisans’ store through a Renew Newcastle empty shop before moving to King Street and signing a commercial lease, said she did not think she would have ‘‘taken the plunge’’ in business without its support.
‘‘It’s been a great opportunity for me, and I support anything that would give others that opportunity and help the city,’’ she said.
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