crows nest retail study - north sydney council...renewed efforts by council to maintain public...

for North Sydney Council and the

Crows Nest Mainstreet Committee

Final Draft, July 2007

C ITY MARKET ING PTY LTD

Crows Nest retail study

Crows Nest succeeds as a shopping precinct because allthe key participants in delivering retail success: Council,property owners and businesses; are contributing to acertain extent.

Analysis of Crows Nest from the customer’s point ofview shows that it could be more successful with effortfrom all participants.

Renewed efforts by Council to maintain public spaces andcarparks to a high standard, efforts by building owners toupgrade and maintain the visual appeal of theirproperties, and efforts by individual retailers to improvetheir standards of business presentation are all required ifCrows Nest is to stay competitive. As other precinctsand Town Centres develop their own specialistreputations, Crows Nest will have to work harder to stayabreast.

Unless Crows Nest takes active steps to stay ahead ofconsumer trends, it could begin to lose trade to otherprecincts. Consumers have endless choices and are notafraid to change their shopping habits to better suit theirneeds.

Crows Nest has two category strengths: the restaurant/cafe experience and a strong representation ofhomewares and household goods stores. Both thesecategory strengths should be promoted.

Crows Nest also has the strength of individuality: a largeproportion of its retailers are independent stores whooffer a unique retail experience. This strength alsocreates challenges: independent retailers do not have thebenefits of group training, ‘head office’ advertising, bulkbuying and the overall support that accrue to nationalchains.

Mainstreet has an important role to play in brokering thiskind of support to Crows Nest retailers. Mainstreet canact as the source of retail advice and encouragement,whether it be from business to business or from externalsources.

Mainstreet can also act as the champion of Crows Nest,encouraging Council and private building owners topresent the property within their control in the bestfashion possible.

This report contains recommendations for all theparticipants in the future success of Crows Nest.Exploring these recommendations should result in amore rewarding experience for all concerned, not leastthe customers without whom Crows Nest could notexist at all.


people place & partnership & city marketing - crows nest retail study for north sydney council - July 2007 - page 1

People Place & Partnership Pty Ltd

Jo Kelly

M:� 0404 868 602

E:� [email protected]

City Marketing Pty Ltd

Ilona Van Galen

M: � 0412 400 789

E: � [email protected]

Nicole Sheridan

M:� 0411 114 176

E:� [email protected]

Executive Summary

Study PurposeNorth Sydney Council values its local economies andlocal business areas as focal points for itsneighbourhoods. Key amongst these local business areasis Crows Nest, a retail precinct with a relatively healthyregional profile as an eating destination.

North Sydney Council and the Crows Nest MainstreetCommittee commissioned this study to develop aframework to protect and strengthen the role andoperation of Crows Nest in the context of adjacenturban villages and centres.

Council's ultimate aim is to ensure that everyneighbourhood in the North Sydney local governmentarea can sustain a social, sociable, vital and viablecommercial heart.

With this in mind, the objectives of this study were toidentify:

• The key elements that contribute to the success ofCrows Nest;

• The factors that could threaten this success, or couldlead to the decline of Crows Nest; and

• Potential strategies and initiatives to sustain, enhanceand improve Crows Nest.

Study MethodologyWhilst it is easy to provide broad parameters forsuccessful town centres (they usually comprise a mix ofconvenience and destination uses and a mix of retail,commercial and civic uses in an accessible, attractive,inviting and safe environment), in reality each and everytown centre has its own characteristics, attributes, issuesand opportunities.

People Place and Partnership Pty Ltd & City MarketingPty Ltd used desk research, and both quantitative andqualitative investigations to determine the local factorsthat contribute to the current status of the Crows NestRetailVillage. These investigations included:

• Desktop research

• Physical audits of Crows Nest and its selectedcompetitors, Mosman & Lane Cove

• A survey of all businesses in the Town Centre

• Meetings, presentations and workshops

This study unearths the issues, opportunities andimplications for future retailing in Crows Nest.



Participants in the Success of Crows NestThis report examines the characteristics, attributes, andissues affecting Crows Nest through the various roles ofthose participants who make a town centre what it is.Local Government is the provider of the of atown centre, establishing the planning framework,providing infrastructure like roads and parking,contributing to the look and feel of the town centrethrough the quality of public spaces, and providingcommunity services.Property Owners control most of the physical assets of atown centre. They respond to planning controls throughinvestment in new development, establish theinfrastructure for the retail environment through thequality of building stock, and determine the settingthrough which customers move by their attention to thequality and upkeep of buildings.Retailers and businesses create the individual character ofa town centre. Their response to market opportunitiesdetermines the business mix. Their own individualcircumstances and backgrounds establish the quality ofthat business mix, and their own standards of retailingultimately determine the overall atmosphere andpositioning of a town centre in the eyes of customers.Every participant must contribute if a town centre is tooperate well and encourage customers to respond byshopping, using facilities, and enjoying the character of theplace.


people place & partnership & city marke ows nest retail study for north sydne y 200 3

Local GovernmentPlanning

InfrastructurePublic Spaces

Services

Property OwnersInvestment

GrowthBuilding Maintenance

Retailers & BusinessesBusiness Mix & Offering

Business QualityAtmosphere & Positioning

Customer Experiences

Customers

a snapshot of Crows Nest


Crows Nest

Located on the Pacific Highway in the lower NorthShore of Sydney, 10 - 15 minutes from the CBD

Situated in Sydney’s more prosperous, high incomeearning Northern Sydney Statistical Subdivision

A total local trade area in the North Sydney LGA of55,000 persons

A doorstep population of 3,296 people living inCrows Nest itself

Locals are primarily well educated workingprofessionals with no children and high householdincomes

361 retail stores in 4 distinct precincts

2 category strengths attracting regional visitation;dining and homewares/housewares

An active Mainstreet Committee and a committedCouncil

Metropolitan StrategyThe NSW Government’s Metropolitan Strategy is abroad framework to promote and manage future growthin Sydney. The guiding principles of economic, social andenvironmental sustainability are behind the five aims ofthe Strategy: to enhance livability, strengthen economiccompetitiveness, ensure fairness, protect the environmentand improve governance.

Centre DefinitionsThe Strategy identifies employment and residentialtargets based on the notion that Sydney is a City ofCities – a collection of centres which has grownsomewhat haphazardly in the past. Growth over the next25 years will respond to purposeful investment inparticular centres of particular types, depending on thenumber of jobs, the amount and type of shops, or theservices that are provided. The Strategy places an onuson local government to ensure that sufficient zoned landis available for employment and residential growth.

Defining Crows NestUnder these definitions, Crows Nest is slightly largerthan a Town Centre but lacks some of the criticalelements of a Major Centre.

These may in part be due to narrow building allotmentsand multiple ownership. Amalgamation would berequired to attain a suitable footprint for larger scaledevelopment.

the planning framework


Type Characteristics Examples Crows Nest

Major Centres The major shopping and business centre for one or more LGA’s with a full scale shopping mall, counciloffices, taller office and residential buildings, central community facilities and a minimum of 8,000 jobs.• More than 100,000 sqm of retail floor space serving a large trade area• At least 250 stores including at least 1 national department store, 1 discount department store and 2 or

more full-line supermarkets• An emphasis on higher-order comparison shopping (clothing/household goods, etc)• A high representation of national brands. Convenience shopping secondary.• A high emphasis on entertainment and may include a cinema complex, ice rink, ten-pin bowling and/or

other such uses.

Bankstown, Blacktown,Bondi Junction,Burwood,Campbelltown, CastleHill, Chatswood,Hornsby, Hurstville,Kogarah

• 361 stores• 2 full-line supermarkets• An emphasis on higher-order

c o m p a r i s o n s h o p p i n g(household goods)

• Low representation of nationalbrands

• Low emphasis on entertainment

Town Centres A large group of specialty shops and services including supermarkets, sometimes a small shopping mall, &community facilities e.g. local library, medical centre.• Between 20,000 and 80,000sqm of retail floor space• Between 50 and 250 stores. May be anchored by a department store• Most anchored by a discount department store (Big W, Target or Kmart), and 1 - 2 supermarkets of

which at least one is full-line supermarket• Trade area between 15,000 to 50,000 households

Bondi, Auburn, TopRyde, Cabramatta,Randwick, Camden

• A local trade area of 3,300persons

• A total North Sydney LGAltrade area of 55,000 persons.

• Small shopping mall• Community facilities• No discount department store

ZoningTown Centres are not subject to any specific zoningdirectives by the NSW Government’s Metro Strategy.Instead it is up to North Sydney Council to determinewhich land use zone should apply to Crows Nest underthe new Standard Instrument LEP 2006.

The standard instrument identifies 34 zones, including 7business zones. A Council cannot insert additional zonesor subzones.

For each zone, the Standard Instrument containsobjectives that must be included in a Council’s LEP.Council can insert additional zone objectives to reflectlocal character, provided the local objectives areconsistent with the standard objectives and State orregional policy.

Within each zone, the standard instrument mandatescertain land uses as ‘permitted without consent,‘permitted with consent’ or ‘prohibited’. These mandatedland uses cannot be altered by Council. Council can listadditional land uses for each zone, but only if consistentwith any relevant State or regional policy. Land uses notdefined in the dictionary to the Standard Instrumentcannot be listed in the land use table.

Crows NestOf the 7 business zones in the Standard Instrument LEP2006, Zone B4: Mixed Use, provides enormous flexibilityfor both Council and the business sector to respond tomarket conditions.

The current character of Crows Nest has grown out ofthe flexibility of its zoning as ‘Mixed Use’.

Crows Nest has 4 distinct precincts, each with its ownbuilding style, business mix strengths and individualcharacter. These distinctive precincts have all arisenunder similar planning controls.

Market conditions have determined that Crows Nest iscurrently a desireable location for the clustering of twokey business categories: dining and homewares/householdgoods. When clustering reaches a critical mass ittransforms a town centre from a predominantly localarea to more a regional destination for customersseeking comparison depth in shopping.

At the same time, strong clustering can cause fearamongst existing retailers that too much localcompetition will destroy their trade. Sometimes this feartranslates into calls for restrictive planning measures tolimit future growth of individual business types within apermitted use category. This is the current situation inCrows Nest.

If controls are too restrictive they can undermineflexibility and potentially the viability of a retail centre.Whilst a monoculture of a single business type mayworry certain retailers, a monoculture can create a‘destination’ profile and is certainly preferable to a stripof vacant shops.

Future FlexibilityRather than using ‘negative planning’ to restrict types ofretail uses, the future flexibility of Crows Nest would bebest served by continuing to rely on the broad range ofpotential uses identified for Zone B4: Mixed Use.

The table on the next page shows this flexibility in moredetail.



BoundariesA consumer’s experience of a suburb has little to do withgeographic boundaries. This study has regarded oneblock with is technically within St Leonards, as part of theCrow’s Nest experience. This block includes significantuses that form part of the distinct homewares characterof the Pacific Highway precinct of Crows Nest: Fiat & AlfaRomeo;The Sleeping Giant; Forty Winks; Plush; and SleepCity.

Character and Building StockThe individual characters of the precincts within CrowsNest are influenced by ownership patterns, lot sizes andthe character of the streets themselves. Although thereappear to be no planning constraints to redevelopment,buildings in Willoughhby Road are tired and run-down.

The lack of interest in refurbishing or redeveloping couldbe that satisfactory rents are achieved without newinvestment, or could be cyclical. The Mosman BusinessDCP has been operational since 2000 and significantrenewal of older stock is only just taking place today.

ConnectivityBetter connectivity between the Pacific Highways andWilloughby Road is desirable, either through publicdomain enhancement or redeveloped links.



Implications for Crows Nest

• Mixed Use Zoning offers the best flexibility forfuture adaptation to changing retail trends

• Retailers concerned by increasing competitionshould be informed of the benefits of clusteringto attract regional visitation

• The Mainstreet Committee may have to play arole in supporting retailers who feel unable torise to the challenge of nearby competition

• Council may wish to consider the implicationsof formally realigning the Crows Nest boundaryto include the Fiat/Sleep City block. Certainlythis block should come under the considerationof the Mainstreet committee and should beincluded in any marketing efforts promoting thePacific Highway precinct.

• Higher order leisure or retail uses (cinema ordiscount department store or mini-majors)could lift the definition of Crows Nest from aTown Centre to a Major Centre and generatenew customers for Crows Nest, provided thatplanning controls can be designed to encouragethese uses

• Any encouragement of higher order uses wouldhave to be balanced against the impacts ontraffic into and out of Crows Nest



Zone B1: NeighbourhoodCentre

Zone B2: Local Centre Zone B3: Commercial Core Zone B4: Mixed Use Zone B5: BusinessDevelopment

Zone B6: Enterprise Corridor

To provide a range of small-scaleretail, business and communityuses which serve the needs ofpeople who live and work in thesurrounding neighbourhood.

To provide a range of retail,business, entertainment andcommunity uses which servethe needs of people who live in,work in and visit the local area.To encourage employmentopportunities in accessiblelocations.To maximise public transportpatronage and encouragewalking and cycling.

To provide a wide range of retail,business, office, community,entertainment, and other suitableland uses which serve the needsof the local and wider community.To encourage appropriateemployment opportunities inaccessible locations.To maximise public transportpatronage and encourage walkingand cycling.

To provide a mixture ofcompatible land uses.To integrate suitable business,office, residential, retail andother development in accessiblelocations so as to maximisepublic transport patronage andencourage walking and cycling.

To enable a mix of office, retailand warehouse uses in locationswhich are close to, and whichsupport the viability of, centres.

To promote businesses alongmain roads and to encourage amix of compatible uses.To enable a mix of employment(including business, office, retailand light industrial uses) andresidential uses.To maintain the economicstrength of centres by limitingthe retailing of food andclothing.

Boarding housesChild Care Centres

Community Facilities Community FacilitiesNeighbourhood Shops

Shop Top HousingEducational Establishments

Entertainment FacilitiesFunction Centres

Hardware & Building SuppliesHotel Accommodation

Information & Education FacilitiesFunction Centres

Landscape & garden suppliesLight Industries

Multi dwelling housing Multi dwelling housingOffice premises

Passenger transport facilitiesRecreation facilities (indoor)

Registered clubsResidential Flat buildings

Retail PremisesSeniors Housing

Service StationsTourist &Visitor accommodation

Warehouse/distribution

Zone

Obj

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ses

Local Trade AreaCrows Nest serves a local population of 3,154 peopleliving in the Postal Area. On Census Night 2006:

• 48.8% were males and 51.2% were females.

• 30% of the population was born overseas. Bycontrast 22.2% of the Australian population was bornoverseas.

• The median incomes in the area were significantlyhigher than the Australian average.

• More than half the population was a couple familywith no children.

• The suburb showed comparatively low levels of homeownership, with 45% of dwellings rented. TheAustralian proportion is 27%.

In the words of Ross Honeywill of the Centre forConsumer Strategy:

‘There are two types of customers. One is a bunch of peopledriven by price, motivated by a deal, unhappy about change,but excited by features and function.

The rest are turned on by the internet, quality, a greatexperience, design beauty, new challenges, rich information, asocial conscience and the path less travelled.’

The demographic data about the Crows Nest populationand the broader population of the Northern SydneyStatistical Subdivision suggests that Crows Nestcustomers belong to the second group, a group called‘NEO’s’ or members of the New Economic Order.

customers


ABS CensusCharacteristic

Distribution by Census Collection District (CCD)

Maps show Census 2001 distribution as more current mapsare not yet available from the ABS

Legend

Low levels ofhome ownershipby comparisonwith nationalfigures

High proportionsof high incomehouseholds bycomparison withnational figures

High proportionsof people bornoverseas bycomparison withnational figures

The New Economic Order• In Australia, NEOs are 24% of the population (four

million adults) but account for 54% of all discretionaryspending.

• NEO’s prefers premium, well-designed lifestyleproducts at the top of each category but withoutconspicuous prestige.

• NEO’s are socially active, with a strong sense of socialand ethical responsibility that translates into a choicefor consumer goods that are not overtly damaging tothe environment.

• NEO’s also prefer shopping strips to shoppingcentres, and therefore offer the biggest customeropportunities for precincts like Crows Nest.

customers - the neo-consumer


NEO’s Traditionals

• Big spenders

• Economically conservative

• Hungry for information andmemorable experiences

• Quick to accept change andnew technology

• Well read, well educated

• Vote for the Coalition butprefer Green social policies

• Like football, love the arts

• Devour the internet

• Regard food as thecelebration of the day, preferfresh Italian white truffle pastato a takeaway sandwich

• Drink wine but love a beer

• Favour individual overinstitutionalised power

• More likely to fly a plane orrun marathons or triathlons

• Invest more money andresearch in regular travel

• Prefer “hip strips” and urbanvillages to shopping malls

• Define themselves by theirjob

• See leisure as a way of fillingin time until returning to job

• Place a high value oncertainty

• Will stick with a job ratherthan risk change

• Surrender decision--makingto others, leave much tochance

• Like a bargain, are moreinterested in a deal thanquality

• Like status and establishedbrands

• More likely to play lawnbowls, go fishing, hunt game

• Value for money in a holidayis a priority

• Love shopping malls


Issues of Importance to those who livein the Local Trade Area:

• Quality

• Food quality and presentation

• Lifestyle

• Technology

• Individualism

• Inconspicuous prestige

• Good design

• Ambience

The Challenge of RetailThe retail environment is challenging, dynamic, and everevolving. Astute retailers learn to respond to changingconsumer needs and behaviours in order to keep theirproduct offer fresh and relevant.

Without access to professional market research, and withlimited time of their own, small independent retailers canfind it hard to stay abreast of the latest external factorsthat are shaping the way that consumers choose whereand how to shop.

This section of the study examines some of the keytrends likely to be influencing the Crows Nest retailenvironment.

The Australian Centre for Consumer Research hasdefined six key consumers trends a significant factorsdefining the current context of retail.

a) The Pressure Cooker Factor

Convenience and time have become extremely valuablecommodities. Consumers now value speed, simplicity andconvenience and above all, are drawn to goods andservices that may add minutes or even hours to their day.

b) The Boredom Factor

Continuing retail consolidation and the professionalism ofnational brands brings an enormous amount ofhomogeneity to shopping centres and street locations.Today’s consumers want, and possibly need, the shoppingexperience to offer something stimulating, new andunique.

c) The Mass Power Factor

Today’s consumers are well-informed, well connectedwith each other and in control. They have the power topick and choose where to shop and how to shop (in-store, on-line, this precinct, that shopping centre). Gainingtheir attention is becoming increasingly difficult, asaudiences are splintering across different kinds of media.The connectedness of consumers through technologylike SMS and email means that one good or badexperience can willingly, and quickly, be passed on tomany.

d) The Me Factor

Consumers want to be listened to and they want to berespected for their individuality. There are risingexpectations that every product, every service and everyexperience should be unique and special.

e) The Sustainability Factor

Australian consumers have become more health-conscious, nutritionally-informed, environmentally-aware,and socially-concerned. More than ever, today’sconsumers shop for goods and services that supporttheir diet, fitness and lifestyle ideals.

The new health trend in sustainable consumption is aboutfinding ways of consuming that minimise the negativeimpact on the body and environment.

f) The Nostalgia Factor

Many Baby Boomers are thought to be desperatelyreaching back towards long-gonesimpler days to replace agrowing anxiety about ageing and a fear of today'sincreasingly stressful society. They are joined by youngerconsumers adopting products from the past as theirown, and updating or reinventing them. And this has littleto do with longing for an era they never experienced, it isabout rediscovery.

trends in retail



• Dining out is growing, rather than shrinking

• Independent retailers can offer consumerssomething new, different, unique, stimulating

• The quality of service is increasing important -consumers want to be thought of as individuals.Bad reputations can be built overnight, as cangood ones

• All retailers can introduce sustainable practices,and build reputations for their environmentalconsciences

• Council can support and encouragesustainability

• The Mainstreet Committee has an importantrole to play as the potential provider of ‘trendupdates’ and advice to busy retailers

The fastest growing retail format in recent years has beenbulky goods. In the past eight years, more than 3.8million square metres of bulky goods floor space hasbeen built, bringing the stock of bulky goods centres orhome-maker centres and new freestanding superstoresto over 4.6 million square metres by October 2006.(Source BIS Shrapnel research).

Bulky goods development has been occurring extensivelyin nearly all Australian cities, primarily on formerindustrial lands outside existing town centres. Thisproliferation has been driven by retailer need for largerbuilding footprints and cheaper rents than currently existin town centres and traditional shopping centres.

To some extent the demand for this new retail formatcaught local government unawares, enabling the creationof quasi shopping centres in areas not necessarily zonedfor such uses.

The introduction of a formal definition of ‘bulky goodsretailing’ in the NSW Standard Instrument LEP 2006should enable NSW Councils to make informedjudgements about whether or not a proposed bulkygoods centre will compete with any existing town centrewithin their areas of governance. However the fact thatthe definition does not completely exclude the sale offoodstuffs and clothing means there will still beopportunities for quasi shopping centre styledevelopment.

From the consumers perspective, the advantages of ‘bigbox’ retailers include lower prices, large advertisingbudgets, expanded lines of products to choose from,constant renovation of stores, and extended hours ofoperation.

However the disadvantages can include impersonal poorservice, large and impersonal spaces, shopping crowdsand traffic congestion.

The future success of existing bulky goods centres maywell rely on them having to adapt to increasing customerdemand for quality service and better shoppingconditions. Meanwhile they continue to enjoy Australia’sfascination with lifestyle and home maker discretionaryspending.

trends - bulky goods retailing


bulky goods - definedNSW Standard Instrument (LocalEnvironmental Plan) 2006‘Bulky goods premises’ means a building or placeused primarily for the sale by retail, wholesale orauction of (or for the hire or display of) goods thatare of such size or weight as to require:a large area for handling, display or storage,ordirect vehicular access to the site of the building orplace by members of the public, for the purpose ofloading and unloading the items into their vehiclesafter purchase or hire, but does not include a buildingor place used for the sale of foodstuffs or clothingunless their sale is ancillary to the sale of bulkygoods.


• Close to one quarter of the total retail mix ofCrows Nest could be classified as bulky goods.This is the second highest grouping of businesstypes, with restaurants/cafes/take-away outletsthe highest overall

• The closest bulky goods ‘homemaker’ centresare Belrose, Alexandria and Rhodes. Theselarger retail formats may threaten the viabilityand dominance of the Crows Nest bulky goodsbusinesses for the Northern Suburbs region

• There is no available land in Crows Nest forbulky goods development

• North Sydney Council should work with nearbyand adjacent councils to discourage bulky goodsdevelopment, particularly any that includes foodand clothing retailing

• Crows Nest homewares retailers shouldpresent a unified and sophisticated approach tomarketing the Pacific Highway Precinct, thataggressively competes with the larger formatretailers

Once upon a time the department store was the pinnacleof the shopping experience.

But declining sales and profits for the past decade haveseen their total market share fall dramatically. Accordingto retail analyst BIS Shrapnel, the loss of market share, ill-advised moves downmarket (and subsequent attempts toreverse those moves) and the strengthening competitionfrom specialty shops and freestanding superstores have allaffected department store performance.

Their decline has been so dramatic that some sub-regional shopping centres now operate successfullywithout a department store, something that would havebeen unthinkable even five years ago.

The discount department stores (K-mart, Target) whichwere major contributors to the erosion of departmentstore supremacy are themselves being challenged by mini-major or specialist stores. As consumers seek somethingextra from their shopping experience, specialist storesseem to be filling the gap.

Mini-majors are defined by most retail analysts as storesthat occupy more than 400 square metres.

They include names such as Dick Smith Powerhouse, JBHi-Fi, Rebel Sport, Borders Books, Priceline, and theWarehouse group. Most of these retailers specialise in aspecific product category, offering an extensive rangewithin that category.

The success of mini-majors has been driven by the sheergrowth in homewares, electronics and bulky goodsmarkets over the past few years. Growth of 6-10 percenthas been recorded by some of these sectors in the pastfive years compared to 1- 2 percent elsewhere in retail.

Some retail analysts suggest that the rise of mini-majorsalso reveals a deeper trend in the way we shop and whatwe expect from retailers. While consumers are lookingfor value, price is not the determining factor in where weshop. Broad product range, specialist service and apleasant environment are key factors for success.

trends - mini-majors or specialists



• A mini-major could provide an importantadditional ‘anchor’ tenant for the Crows Nestretail mix, particularly in Willoughby Road

• Mini-majors require a retail footprint of at least400 sq metres

• Council may choose to consider planningincentives to encourage developers to attract amini-major to the centre

• The retail professionalism and product depth ofmini-majors create a challenge for smallerretailers with lesser buying power, with thecapacity to attract customers away from a towncentre

• The MainStreet Committee may have to play arole in supporting retailers improve theirprofessionalism in merchandising andpresentation

The most significant trend of all in food shopping today istowards freshness, or perceived freshness, followed veryclosely by the attributes of 'clean' or 'safe'. Put simply,today's consumers are shopping more often, sometimesthree or four times each week, purchasing sufficient foodfor 72 hours, and wanting the products to be clean, freeof chemical residues and safe to eat.

The next significant trend is towards convenience. Busylifestyles leave little time to create and prepare meals - itoften makes more sense for someone else to do thework.

Another key trend relates to diet and lifestyle. Dependingupon the individual's lifestyle, there is a preference foreither calorie-reduced, low fat, or lean products on theone hand, or indulgence on the other.

A stroll through Australia’s largest supermarket retailer -Woolworths - demonstrates these trends in action:

• A progressive shift from the grocery aisles to thefresh food departments has seen a shift in balancefrom canned and packeted items to chilled and semi-prepared items.

• Pasta-based fresh meals in the chilled cabinet nowcommand a dominant position, from being zero fiveyears ago.

• New ranges of fully prepared meals are now emergingin the fresh area.

• Value added chicken (stir-fry, marinades, kebabs,coated) is taking more prominence as sales grow.

• As product availability and distribution systems haveimproved, it is now possible for supermarkets to sellfresh fish alongside the delicatessen, chicken, and meatcabinets, thus offering the customer a wide choice.

• Sides of lamb or forequarter of beef rarely feature onhousehold shopping lists, so the meat section featuresleaner cuts, devoid of fat and marbling, and in portionsize pieces. This suits today’s small family.

Macro Wholefoods, which operates in Crows Nest, is ahighly visible local example of these trends in retailing.

trends - fresh food


•


• Crows Nest has a very limited fresh food offerwhich could prove detrimental in the longerterm

• Research indicates that family households with apreference for ‘freshness’ are shopping up to 4times per week for fresh groceries. CrowsNest is potentially missing out on the multi-week consumer with the low level of fresh foodretail mix

• Local supermarkets will need to upgrade theirfacilities to cope with the increased back ofhouse space requirements to deal withincreased fresh food offer

The restaurant and cafe industry is a dynamic butdispersed sector. There are currently 37,700 restaurantand catering businesses in Australia, employing 200,000Australians.

A report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics inJuly 2005 (the most recent report in a five-yearly series)shows a slowing in restaurant profits�with 63.4% ofbusinesses (the businesses employing less than 10 people)generating less than 2% net profit.

The sector is dominated by small businesses – in 2004-0591% of businesses employed less than 20 employees.

It is also a very competitive industry, with few barriers toentry and often low profit margins as a result. Many newentrants lack the business skills needed to survive.

About 94% of businesses (registered active for the GST)turn over less than $1 million per year – and a mere eightindividual businesses turn over $20 million or more.

Business profits are highly sensitive to rises in labour andproduction costs. The two largest expense items arepurchases ($2917 million) and labour costs ($2109million) which represented 43% and 31%respectively oftotal expenses.

The key motivators for consumer decisions about dininginclude:

• Convenience/ease (eg not having to prepare ownfood)

• Socialising (eg catching up with friends or family)• For celebrations or special events• Rewards (for adults and children)• Social development (for children)• Networking for business

The biggest continuing trends in the café and restaurantsector focus on quality and convenience.

Café Culture

The café culture has proliferated in the last six years –with more Australians going more frequently to cafes fora snack or a meal.

Speciality Cafes

Specialty cafés reflect current trends. For example,smoothies reflect health and wellness trends; noodle barspoint to the rise of Asian cuisine. Not all specialty caféswill be a success like Gloria Jeans, but by examiningemerging café trends found in towns and urban centres,we can glean food and beverage trends coming down thepipeline. Just as smoothies made the transition from juicebar drink to packaged good product (such as nudie),other foods could inspire new opportunities formanufacturers and restaurant operators alike.

Technology

Restaurants and cafes are combining technology and thefood offer by providing technological solutions toenhance the dining experience. Many businesses areestablishing wireless hotspots within their premises tocapitalise on the café becoming the new office, wheremany customers now choose to do their own business.

Brunch Phenomena

Breakfast (brunch) sales are rising rapidly. As morepeople combine social outings with eating this is a trendthat has been on the increase for many years and iscontinuing at a fast rate.

trends - restaurants & cafes



• The Dining Out category faces the barrier ofbudgetary constraints. In general, dining out isperceived to be too expensive to do frequently.It can be seen as a time consuming activity(impact of increase in interest rates etc)

• Fast food establishments and dining at home fora formal or special occasion are keycompetition to the dining out experience

• Time and effort (travel and formality) are keyfactors in converting Fast Food and takeawayfood experiences into dining out experiences

• Unfortunately not all Crows Nest eatingestablishments (particularly along WilloughbyRoad) set high standards for themselves interms of business or menu presentation

• The ‘tried and true’ long standing menu andrestaurant format that has worked so well forso long for many Crows Nest businesses maynot live up to the challenge of new trends andnew food phenomena

With one tenth of the world’s population now shoppingonline and studies showing a continuing upward trend,the internet has become an established retail tool andvital component of retail businesses marketing strategies.

Worldwide, studies have shown that people shop onlinebecause they find it convenient, it increases their choiceand helps them to hunt for lower prices. Retailers sellonline to reach more customers, to sell around the clockand in reaction to competition from rivals.

However, a recent study undertaken by MonashUniversity, Australian Centre for Retail Studies indicatesthat Australian uptake of internet and e-sales has beenslower than the world wide phenomenon.

In 2005/06 Australian internet sales were $11.65 billion -2.5% of all Australian retail spend. The forecast forgrowth for the next 10 years is at a rate of 10% perannum at the current rate (i.e 10% of the 2.5% of thecurrent internet sales market).

This is despite the fact that Australians are amongst themost intensive internet users in the world - according tothe ABS, 86% of Australian households have access to theinternet in 2005/2006.

trends - internet & e-sales



• Consumers are researching products online andthen taking this research into the “high street”retail environment to buy goods

• Successful retail businesses in the future willneed need robust and good quality internetmarketing opportunities

• Close to 30% of Crows nest businessesanticipate they will need a web presence in thenext 5 years

• Crows Nest businesses will need support andencouragement to develop effective on-linemarketing and competent in-store backup bywell trained staff

Shopping centres began to emerge in Australia during the1950’s. Prior to that, serious shopping took place in thecities, where large department stores dominated theretail scene, as they had previously done for more than acentury. Suburban main street shopping areas fulfilled theday to day shopping needs of their local populations, withsupermarkets, banks, chemists and newsagents as theanchors guaranteeing a certain degree of stability forother retailers.

Since then an explosion of suburban shopping centredevelopment has taken place - with centres developing,expanding, refurbishing and refurbishing again to keepahead of their competition, and new styles of niche retailcentres, including bulky goods and factory outlet centres,emerging to fulfill changing customer needs.

Today, while there is an argument that many shoppingcentres have a generic feel - with similar retailers,uninspiring layouts and a strong reliance on carparks - thefundamentals of shopping centres continue to generateretail strength and success. Marketing budgets are raisedthrough lease commitments, individual retailers arebound by common lease conditions, centre managementcreates strong, co-ordinated marketing campaigns.

Tenants are selected for their business capacity to meetTarget Market needs, and are required to invest heavily inslick fitouts and professional signage. Standards of displayand presentation are controlled by lease conditions.Shopping Centre owners co-ordinate marketing,customer service and visual merchandising training fortheir tenants.

The physical setting for all this professionalism is usuallyan equally professional public domain, that is ultra-clean,safe and well-maintained.

competitors - the retail experts


With pristine public areas, air-conditioned comfort, professionalsignage, interactive way-finding,

well-cared for plants anddisplays, shopping centres set ahigh standard for public domain

presentation

competitors - the retail experts


Shopping centres expect (anddemand) a high standard of

professional presentation fromtheir retail tenants

From signage to entry points toproduct merchandising to storelayout to ticketing, tenants areexpected to achieve a quality

which sets a high benchmark forany retail competitors


• Mainstreet retail precincts compete withshopping centres (as well as each other) for thecapture of consumer spending

• Shopping centres set the benchmark forstandards of presentation in public spaces, andin individual stores

• Crows Nest retailers have identifiedChatswood, which includes Chatswood Chaseand Westfield Chatswod, as their maincompetitor (see retail survey results)

• Chatswood Chase bills itself as ‘beautiful onevery level’ and Westfield is the market leaderin shopping centre management

• Crows Nest retailers must examine their ownstandards of presentation, service delivery andconsumer offerings against the competitiveenvironment established by these two shoppingcentres

MethodologyCouncil direct-mailed a single page questionnaire to itsdatabase of local retailers. The Mainstreet Committeeactively followed up this mailout, encouraging business torespond.

Respondents86 Businesses responded to the survey. This is a strongresponse rate of 24% of all retailers in Crows Nest.

Length of Time in BusinessJust over half the respondents had been in business inCrows Nest for more than 5 years.

Reasons for Choosing Crows NestRespondents offered multiple answers to this question.

The main reason for choosing Crows Nest as a place todo business was its reputation as an established,successful retail precinct offering opportunities forrestaurants and homewares.

Reasons to Leave Crows NestRespondents offered multiple answers to this question.

The most frequent reasons related to parking issues:either a lack of parking, or issues with parking inspectors.However the majority of reasons were unrelated toparking.

�

retailer survey


Time in business at this address %

Under 1 yr 10.5%

1 - 5 yrs 38.4%

6 - 10 yrs 16.3%

11 - 20 yrs 20.9%

Over 21 yrs 14.0%

Main reasons %

Good, busy, well established shopping,restaurant & homewares precinct with a

great atmosphere and reputation40.7%

Business opportunity/purchased existingbusiness 28.0%

Location: great/convenient/central/close to home 22.1%

Good customer demographics 9.0%

No similar business in area 6.0%

Better/reasonable/cheap rent 3.0%

Close to transport & parking/amplefree parking 3.0%

Other: Friendly people, spaceavailable, safe area, worked here a

long time, not a shopping mall9.0%

Main reasons %

Parking issues/issues with inspectors 36.0%

Declining business 22.0%

High rents 14.0%

Change in Crows Nest mix: morevacancies/more restaurants/more

franchise store10.0%

No reason to leave 8.0%

Safety/crime/graffiti/homeless 5.0%

Underdevelopment/poor premises 5.0%

Council inaction or excessive regulation 5.0%

Demographic or business focus change 3.0%

Other: Traffic, area not promoted,death, Artarmon Homemaker centre, 5.0%

Type of BusinessRespondents represented a good cr of CrowsNest businesses.

Tenure TypeThe large majority of respondents lease, rather thanown, the premises in which they trade.

Employee Profile64% of respondents to this question reported that theiremployees mainly lived in Sydney suburbs other thanthose considered If these employees drive towork, this has implications for local parking supply anddemand.

retailer survey


9%

27%

1%9%

3%19%

31%

Cafe/RestaurantHomewares/GiftsHealth/BeautyOther RetailFresh FoodServiceFashion

6%

81%

13%

Own this propertyLease this propertyLease but considering purchase

8%

29%

64%

Other Sydney suburbsCrows Nest, St Leonards, Kirribilli, Nth SydneyBoth

Customer PrMore than half the respondents reported that theircustomers were mainly from the suburbs ofCrows Nest, St Leonards, Kirribilli, and Nth Sydney.

wever there was also a strong recognition that CrowsNest has a more regional customer base, drawingcustomers from other area of Sydney.

Customer Pr Ages & SexMany respondents ticked multiple age boxes, indicating that their customers fall into a wider age range than thoseprovided on the questionnaire.The chart for this question therefore shows numbers rather than percentages. The Crows Nest customer islikely to be a w

retailer survey


23%

53%

23%

Other Sydney suburbsCrows Nest, St Leonards, Kirribilli, Nth SydneyBoth

0

25

50

75

100

Under 18 1 4 4 4 4 Over 65

Female Male

Busiest Day31 respondents did not answer this question (whichincluded a question about the busiest times of day). Manyof those who responded ticked multiple days as the‘busiest day’. The results have been consolidated in thischart.

Busiest Times of DayThe busiest time of day for most respondents is clearly the period between noon and 3pm, closely followed by themorning period. This can be attributed to the large percentage of respondents who operate cafes/restaurants. CrowsNest is known throughout Sydney as a cafe precinct and these figures indicate that the two busiest times of the day arethat of the morning ‘coffee’ trade and lunchtime dining.

retailer survey


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Mon

day

Tues

day

Wed

nesd

ay

Thur

sday

Frid

ay

Satu

rday

Sund

ay

0

10

20

30

40

50

Before 9am 9am - Noon Noon to 3pm 3pm to 6pm After 6pm

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Business ConditionsAlthough 45% of respondents reported that businessconditions in 2006/2007 were ‘worse than last year’, 49%of respondents expect better business conditions in thenext financial year.

Same Better Worse

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

2006

/200

7

2007

/200

8

Factors Impacting on Business SuccessGrouped together, a variety of comments about parkingrated as the most frequent response.

Parking Answers in More DetailThe 50 comments about parking are shown here in moredetail.

�

retailer survey


Main Factors %

Parking 37.0%

Customers: amount/demographic 19.0%

Location/profile of Crows Nest 10.0%

Business Mix/Vacancy 7.0%

Own Management/Customer Service 7.0%

Competition 6.0%

Marketing 4.0%

Rent 2.0%

Access/transport 1.0%

Council streetscape works/MainstreetProgram 1.0%

Availability of quality commercialpremises 1.0%

Other: directional signage/interestrates/staff lossses/weather/land zoning 4.0%

Parking Comments No

Parking (amount of) 16

Parking (generally) 14

Parking (fees) 7

Parking (location & proximity) 6

Parking (rangers) 3

Parking (regulations) 3

Parking (2 hours free is great) 1

Biggest Competitors for Crows NestRespondents considered that Chatswood provided thebiggest competitive challenge for Crows Nest.

Business Requirements Over the Next FiveYearsAlmost half the respondents recognised they would need staff parking over the next fiv e years.

retailer survey


17%

5%

5%

8%

8%13%

43%

Chatswood Neutral BayNorth Sydney MosmanBelrose St Leonards13 others

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Staf

fPar

king

Web

Pres

ence

Mor

eSt

aff

Mor

eFl

oorS

pace

Bette

rQua

lity

Prem

ises

Out

door

Din

ing

retailer survey


Current Issues for Crows Nest

• Retailers recognise the strong positioning andreputation of Crows Nest - it’s the reason manyof them chose to be here

• Retailers who don’t own the properties theyoccupy have very little control over the waybuildings present to the street

• Parking issues seem to be dominating thethinking of many Crow Nest retailers.However, the factors which would cause themajority of retailers to consider leaving theircurrent position are unrelated to parking

• The peak trading time in Crows Nest is a 3hour period over lunch. A certain amount ofthe anxiety over parking could be related to thetime constraints that current parkingrestrictions place on customers, particularlythose doing multi-purpose trips

• The fact that the majority of staff who work inCrows Nest retail businesses are from otherSydney suburbs could have some impacts onparking

• The choice of Chatswood as the majorcompetitor by the majority of respondents setsa very high competitive standard for CrowsNest retailers to meet

Future Issues for Crows Nest

• Retailers anticipate needing more staff, biggerpremises, and better quality premises in thefuture

• The condition and quality of building stock inCrows Nest is dictated by property ownerswho currently seem unmotivated to renovateor redevelop to their maximum potential

• The anticipated need for more staff raises thequestion of staff modes of transport and staffparking

• Retailers anticipate a need for a web presencein the future. Crows Nest’s current presenceon the web is limited to a variety of restaurantguides, www.gocrowsnest.com.au & the CrowsNest Guide www.crowsnestguide.com.au.Whilst these guides appear comprehensive areare supported by many Crows Nest retailers,neither site adequately conveys the character,charm and category strengths of Crows Nest


• Property owners must somehow be engaged inthe process of delivering better quality buildingstock

• The feasibility of innovative solutions toencourage sustainable practices in stafftransport should be investigated. Brisbane CityCouncil has offered discounted parking fees forits own staff who use carpooling, with somesuccess

• Crows Nest retailers have identifiedChatswood, which includes Chatswood Chaseand Westfield Chatswod, as their maincompetitor. Chatswood Chase bills itself as‘beautiful on every level’ and Westfield is themarket leader in shopping centre management

• Crows Nest retailers must examine their ownstandards of presentation, service delivery andconsumer offerings against the competitiveenvironment established by these two shoppingcentres

• There could be a role for Mainstreet toestablish a well branded web presence forCrows Nest. Alternatively Mainstreet couldwork with http://www.crowsnestguide.com.au/to upgrade this site. Consider http://www.chatswoodchaseshopping.com.au as abenchmark

MethodologyLively, vibrant retail precincts succeed through acombination of factors, many of which can be quantifiedand many of which are harder to pin down. How do youmeasure atmosphere? How do you measure ambience?How do you measure style? How do you measure thesuperior service of a couple of friendly retailers whoknow you personally and will move heaven and earth tosatisfy your needs?The truth is that these elements, the intangible elementsthat make a place special, are hard to achieve. And theycan only be measured by an experiential comparison - bycomparing the quality of the experience rather than justcomparing the number of shops or the number ofparking spaces.Professional shopping centres use a recipe of purenumbers - so many shops of a certain type and size tosuit a certain demographic in a certain geographic area.But if that recipe were the only determinant of retailsuccess, there would be no popular and successfulmainstreet retail precincts.Rather than being challenged by shopping centres,mainstreets would have been completely destroyed longago.And we all know that isn't true. Successful Mainstreetprecincts occur all over Sydney, all over Australia, all overthe world. Some of the most famous shopping areas inthe world are mainstreet precincts – Rodeo Drive inBeverly Hills, Fifth Avenue in New York, Oxford Street inLondon, theVia Condotti in Rome.

Not one of these streets relies on air-conditionedcomfort or thousands of parking spaces for internationalsuccess.What they do rely on is a combination of the rightstores, the right urban setting, the right quality of service,the right style and ambience, and a commitment tosustaining their reputation - their 'brand'.For a smaller, local precinct like Crows Nest anawareness of the overall competitive environment isimportant, and shouldn't be overlooked. But achievingongoing success will rely on strategies that focus onsustaining and improving the Crows Nest offer ratherthan attempts to stymie or combat increasingcompetition through planning regulations.Looking to the future involves• Assessing the totality of our local experience against

our main competitors• Quantifying our distinct competitive advantage• Taking the necessary steps to sustain that advantage,

and• Promoting that advantage through every means

possible, including upskilling ourselves as well asmarketing to customers.

This study included a physical assessment of the CrowsNest Village Centre and the neighbouring centres of LaneCove and Mosman.Although both Lane Cove and Mosman are nearby, andwithin the greater catchment area that could bedesignated as northern sydney, neither of these suburbsare within the North Sydney Local Government Area.However, both retail centres are similar in size to CrowsNest, and both serve a local population with ademographic that shares key characteristics with CrowsNest: high household incomes, high proportions of couplefamilies without children, and high proportions of peopleworking in a professional capacity.The final section of this report providesrecommendations for Crows Nest based on theunderstanding of the retail quality and customerexperience that has been investigated.It is this assessment that has provided the most valuablerecommendations regarding the future of retail in CrowsNest.

the Crows Nest experience


The AssessmentWe undertook an audit of all ground floor businesses inCrows Nest, classifying each business according to theAustralia New Zealand Standard Industry Classification(ANZSIC) Codes.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) uses ANZSICCodes to classify retail, an industry category that includestraditional retail outlets, cafés and restaurants, personalservices, retail liquor outlets, as well as a wide range ofservice and commercial activities including motor vehicleretailing, banks and credit unions, travel agencies, picturetheatres, licenced clubs, and hotels.

We then assessed the experience of Crows Nest from ashopper’s viewpoint, examining each building andbusiness, experiencing the quality of public spaces, andgrading the ease of moving around the centre on foot andby car.

We report this assessment under four core Indicators:

Building appearance Maintenance, Colour Scheme,Overall Building Appeal

Business Presentation Footpath trading, outdoordining, instore merchandising,business appeal, signage,interior appeal

Public Spaces Community spaces,landscaping, lighting,ambience

Accessibility Directional signage, publictransport, parking(availability, time limits andpricing), walkabililty,pedestrian priority

Each Indicator is ranked out of 5.

5 Excellent 81+

4 Very good 61 - 80

3 Good 41 - 60

2 Fair 21 - 40

1 Poor 0 - 20

Scores and then totaled to provide an overall scorewhich allows us to compare the Indicators against oneanother, and to compare Crows Nest performanceagainst the performance of Lane Cove and Mosman.

the Crows Nest experience


CountIncluding stores in Crows Nest Plaza, there are 365ground floor addresses in Crows Nest. There are 29stores in Crows Next Plaza.

The vacancy rate (excluding Crows Nest Plaza) stands ate are 32 vacant premises at ground level.

MixIncluding Crows Nest Plaza, and excluding commercialaddresses, there are 361 retail addresses in Crows Nest.

The retail mix is dominated by two clear categories:Dining and Homewares. When the vacancies with CrowsNest Plaza are taken into account, the vacancy rate is10%.

what is Crows Nest?


7%7%1%9%

83%

Retail VacantResidential Commercial

10%2%

19%

2%

22% 2%

26%

8%8%3%3%3%3%5%

Clothing & FootwearSupermarkets, Fresh & Specialised FoodHairdressing & BeautyCafes/Restaurants/TakeawayPharmaceutical, Cosmetics, OptometristsHomewares/HousewaresBanksMiscellaneous Convenience ShoppingClubs, Pubs, LiquorVacant

ANZSIC Classification #Count

Food/Fresh Meat & Poultry 1Food/Specialised 2Food/Fresh Fruit & Vegetables 5Supermarket & Grocery 2Car Dealer 2Clubs, Pubs, Taverns & Bars 3Film Processing 3Personal Services 3Antiques & Used Goods 4D ecorded Music 4Printing/Copying 5Liquor 5Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics & Toiletries 5Travel Agent 5Bank/Financing 7News, Books & Stationery 7Service 9Real Estate 10Speciality 12Miscellaneous 4Clothing 20Hairdressing & Beauty 31Domestic Floor Coverings 5Domestic Appliances 8Domestic Homewares/Housewares 36Domestic Furniture 32Takeaway 15Cafes 29Restaurants 51Vacant (including Crows Nest Plaza) 36

361

precincts


Crows Nest and St Leonards suburb boundaries

crows nest and st leonards suburb bo

FREDBEN

LANE

CAMMERAY/ANZAC

AVENUE RESERVE

ANZA

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RALEIGH STREET

ABB

OTT

IXIO

NLA

NE

LAN

E

MILL

ER

LAN

E

CAMMERAYGALPLACE

WARRINGAA

BBOTT

BELL

EVUE

STREET

AMHERST

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

STREET

MILL

ER

CAMMERAY

STRE

ET

STREET

ERNEST

VALE

ROSALIND

STREET

AN

ZAC

AVE

NUE

MORDE

ST LEONARDS PARK

BARD

SLEY

GA

RDEN

S

FIG TREE LANE

STRE

ET

LYTT

ON

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

TUC

KER

STRE

ET

STREETLILLIS

M

STREET

STREET

STRE

ET

FALCON

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND

MO

RTO

NLA

NERO

ADRE

SERV

E

RIVERRO

AD

PEDESTRIA

NLIN

K

RIVE

RRO

AD

PED

ESTR

IAN

LINK

SINCLAIR STREET

ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE

HAYBERRY STREETROAD CLOSURE

NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

N O R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

BRIDGEVIEW

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

SEXTON PLACE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

NICHOLSON

LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANEPOLE

LANEALBANY

ATCHISON

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

LANE

MO

RTO

NLA

NE

LANE

CARLYLE

LANE

ZIGZA

G

RIVER

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

SERGEA

NTS

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

CLARKE

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

CHRISTIE

STREET

HIGHW

AY

MO

RTON

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

MASSEY STREET

STREET

JENKINSSTREET

FALCON

ERNEST

KYN

GD

ON

STRE

ET

HAYBERRY

ARM

STRO

NG

STRE

ET

EMMETTSTREET

CAR

LYLE

SELWYN

STREET

STREET

SINCLAIR

CRESCENT

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MILNER

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

DMITC

HELL

STRE

ET

GILLIES

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

CHRISTIE

STREET

STREET

HUM

E

RUSSELL

NICHOLSON

ROAD

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

STREET

STRE

ET

BORONIA STREET

BRUCE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

ALBANY

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

LAM

ON

T

BALFOURSTREET

ATCHISON

LITHGO

W

CARLOWSTREET

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

SHIR

LEY

MATER GARDENS

ROCKLANDS

CASSINS

LANE

NEWLANDS STREETMYRTLE

STREET

CA

SSIN

SLA

NE

REET

STREET

ROAD

PALMER

DONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ET

WHE

ATL

EIG

H

RIVER

PACIFIC

CHANDOS

HAM

ILTO

N

STREET

OXLEY

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

ERNEST

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

STREET

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND


ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANEBE

RNA

RD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANE

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

ZIGZA

G

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

HIGHW

AY

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

STREET

FALCON

ERNEST

HAYBERRY

EMMETTSTREET

SIN

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

D

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

STREET

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

CE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

MYRTLE

DONNELLY ROADDONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ETST

REET

WHE

ATL

EIG

HW

HEA

TLEI

GH

STREETSTREET

CROWS NEST

ST LEONARDSCHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

ATCHISON

SERGEA

N

CHRISTIE

STRE

ET

STRE

ET

CHANDOSCHANDOS

POLE

ALBANY

CLARKE

STREET

MITC

HELL

OXL

EY

ALBANY

PACIFIC

ST LEONARDSLANEST LEONARDSLANE

AN

TSST LEONARDS

NTS

STREETST LEONARDSSTREETST LEONARDSATCHISONST LEONARDSATCHISON SSSS

Legend

Restaurants/Cafes & ConvenienceShopping

Restaurants/Homewares/Furniture

Commercial & Homewares

Services & Fashion

There are 4 distinct precincts in Crows NestDay to day convenience shopping and restaurant cafe

uses dominate in Willoughby RoadThe Pacific Highway has a strong cluster of furniture,

homewares and houseware stores in addition torestaurants

Alexander Street is the commercial focus for CrowsNest

Services, some fashion stores and a few cafes aregrouped together in Hume and Clarke Street

character & customer base


C o s Nest an St Leona s s o n a es

o s nest an st eona s s o

FREDBEN

LANE

CAMMERAY/ANZAC

AVENUE RESERVE

ANZA

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RALEIGH STREET

ABB

OTT

IXIO

NLA

NE

LAN

E

MILL

ER

LAN

E

CAMMERAYGALPLACE

WARRINGAA

BBOTT

BELL

EVUE

STREET

AMHERST

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

STREET

MILL

ER

CAMMERAY

STRE

ET

STREET

ERNEST

VALE

ROSALIND

STREET

AN

ZAC

AVE

NUE

MORDE

ST LEONARDS PARK

BARD

SLEY

GA

RDEN

S

FIG TREE LANE

STRE

ET

LYTT

ON

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

TUC

KER

STRE

ET

STREETLILLIS

M

STREET

STREET

STRE

ET

FALCON

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND

MO

RTO

NLA

NERO

ADRE

SERV

E

RIVERRO

AD

PEDESTRIA

NLIN

K

RIVE

RRO

AD

PED

ESTR

IAN

LINK

SINCLAIR STREET

ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE


NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

N O R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

BRIDGEVIEW

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

SEXTON PLACE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

NICHOLSON

LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANEPOLE

LANEALBANY

ATCHISON

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

LANE

MO

RTO

NLA

NE

LANE

CARLYLE

LANE

ZIGZA

G

RIVER

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

SERGEA

NTS

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

CLARKE

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

CHRISTIE

STREET

HIGHW

AY

MO

RTON

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

MASSEY STREET

STREET

JENKINSSTREET

FALCON

ERNEST

KYN

GD

ON

STRE

ET

HAYBERRY

ARM

STRO

NG

STRE

ET

EMMETTSTREET

CAR

LYLE

SELWYN

STREET

STREET

SINCLAIR

CRESCENT

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MILNER

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

DMITC

HELL

STRE

ET

GILLIES

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

CHRISTIE

STREET

STREET

HUM

E

RUSSELL

NICHOLSON

ROAD

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

STREET

STRE

ET

BORONIA STREET

BRUCE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

ALBANY

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

LAM

ON

T

BALFOURSTREET

ATCHISON

LITHGO

W

CARLOWSTREET

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

SHIR

LEY

MATER GARDENS

ROCKLANDS

CASSINS

LANE


STREET

CA

SSIN

SLA

NE

REET

STREET

ROAD

PALMER

DONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ET

WHE

ATL

EIG

H

RIVER

PACIFIC

CHANDOS

HAM

ILTO

N

STREET

OXLEY

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

ERNEST

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

STREET

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND


ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANEBE

RNA

RD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANE

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

ZIGZA

G

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

HIGHW

AY

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

STREET

FALCON

ERNEST

HAYBERRY

EMMETTSTREET

SIN

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

D

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

STREET

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

CE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

MYRTLE


STRE

ETST

REET

WHE

ATL

EIG

HW

HEA

TLEI

GH

STREETSTREET

CROWS NEST


RESERVE

ATCHISON

SERGEA

N

CHRISTIE

STRE

ET

STRE

ET

CHANDOSCHANDOS

POLE

ALBANY

CLARKE

STREET

MITC

HELL

OXL

EY

ALBANY

PACIFIC


AN

TSST LEONARDS

NTS


The vast majority of retail stores in Crows Nest areindependent stor etailers

Chain store names and franchise businesses tend to beclustered along the Pacific Highwa

Forty Winks, Freedom, Coco R xanderStree inning Appliances, Pac . These

stores are more likely to have a regional than a localcustomer base

2%

73%

10%

15%

Franchise/Chain StoresVacantIndependent StoresBanks/Finance

Regional Customer Base

Regional Customer Base

Local Customer Base


Low Score Examples High Score Examples

Brokenkenok windows, signs of rust, dinated window furniture, unsympatheticexternal attachments to buildings, and other visible signs of neglect all scored poorlyunder the assessment

Old or new,w,w buildings that showed signs of care and regular maintenance scored wellunder the assessment

Each w building contributes to a pleasing overall character forforf anygiven place

Shoppers experience both sides of the street as they walk through a precinct. Buildings have the first opportunity create an impression on potential customers. Poorly maintainedbuildings, whatever their age, create an impression of neglect. Well maintained buildings create an immediate impression of quality retail and businesses within them.



Shabby buildings havhavha e no overall appeal and create fefef w reasons to oss the strto explore what may be insideay be insidea

Old or new: attention to detail, tasteful colour schemes, and high standards ofmaintenance combine to create appealing buildings and an appealing environment

Overall building appeal can derive from inherent character, colour schemes, the amount and placement of signs, and the quality of maintenance


Legend

Excellent 81 +

Very Good 6

Good

Fair 2

Poor



FREDBEN

LANE

CAMMERAY/ANZAC

AVENUE RESERVE

ANZA

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RALEIGH STREET

ABB

OTT

IXIO

NLA

NE

LAN

E

MILL

ER

LAN

E

CAMMERAYGALPLACE

WARRINGA

ABBO

TT

BELL

EVUE

STREET

AMHERST

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

STREET

MILL

ER

CAMMERAY

STRE

ET

STREET

ERNEST

VALE

ROSALIND

STREET

AN

ZAC

AVE

NUE

MORDE

ST LEONARDS PARK

BARD

SLEY

GA

RDEN

S

FIG TREE LANE

STRE

ET

LYTT

ON

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

TUC

KER

STRE

ET

STREETLILLIS

M

STREET

STREET

STRE

ET

FALCON

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND

MO

RTO

NLA

NERO

ADRE

SERV

E

RIVERRO

AD

PEDESTRIA

NLIN

K

RIVE

RRO

AD

PED

ESTR

IAN

LINK

SINCLAIR STREET

ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE


NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

N O R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

BRIDGEVIEW

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

SEXTON PLACE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

NICHOLSON

LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANEPOLE

LANEALBANY

ATCHISON

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

LANE

MO

RTO

NLA

NE

LANE

CARLYLE

LANE

ZIGZA

G

RIVER

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

SERGEA

NTS

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

CLARKE

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

CHRISTIE

STREET

HIGHW

AY

MO

RTON

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

MASSEY STREET

STREET

JENKINSSTREET

FALCON

ERNEST

KYN

GD

ON

STRE

ET

HAYBERRY

ARM

STRO

NG

STRE

ET

EMMETTSTREET

CAR

LYLE

SELWYN

STREET

STREET

SINCLAIR

CRESCENT

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MILNER

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

DMITC

HELL

STRE

ET

GILLIES

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

CHRISTIE

STREET

STREET

HUM

E

RUSSELL

NICHOLSON

ROAD

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

STREET

STRE

ET

BORONIA STREET

BRUCE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

ALBANY

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

LAM

ON

T

BALFOURSTREET

ATCHISON

LITHGO

W

CARLOWSTREET

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

SHIR

LEY

MATER GARDENS

ROCKLANDS

CASSINS A

LANE


STREET

CA

SSIN

SLA

NE

REET

STREET

ROAD

PALMER

DONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ET

WHE

ATL

EIG

H

RIVER

PACIFIC

CHANDOS

HAM

ILTO

N

STREET

OXLEY

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

ERNEST

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

STREETSe

xton

sCo

ttage

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND


ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANE

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

ZIGZA

G

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

HIGHW

AY

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

STREET

FALCON

ERNEST

HAYBERRY

EMMETTSTREET

SIN

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

D

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

STREET

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

CE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

MYRTLE


STRE

ETST

REET

WHE

ATL

EIG

HW

HEA

TLEI

GH

STREETSTREET

CROWS NEST


RESERVE

ATCHISON

SERGEA

N

CHRISTIE

STRE

ET

STRE

ETCHANDOSCHANDOS

POLE

ALBANY

CLARKE

STREET

MITC

HELL

OXL

EY

ALBANY

PACIFIC


AN

TSST LEONARDS

NTS

STREETST LEONARDSSTREETST LEONARDSATCHISONST LEONARDSATCHISON SSSS 8 7

9

10

11

12

13

23

14

15

16

1

2

3

4

5

6

17

18

19

20

21

22

business pr



Dilapidated signs, mismatched signs, cluttered signs, and signs markedrkedrk with graffitiall scored poorly under this assessment

Excellent signage follofollof ws a theme and a consistent standard from window to awningaedge and above. It is also w. ell maintained and spotlessly clean.

Abov wning, awning edge and under wning signs are a r ertising tools.

business pr



Dirty glass, barred opaque windows, windows cluttered with aging signs andwindows obscured by badly displaylayla ed merchandise all scored poorly

Excellent windows are clean and themed, displaylayla their products beautifully,y,y andnever featurr featurr f e handwritten signs

Windows are prime selling space, occupying most of any usual retail frontage. Strong retailers have strong, clean, well presented windows.

business presentation merchan isin



Haphazard stock in windows and e, handwritten signs, lack of theming orconsideration of display principles scorla ed badly

Excellent merchandising shows meticulous attention to detail: colours, sizes,professionalofessionalof ticketing,cketing,ck cleanliness, professionalofessionalof props & mannequins, seasonalhighlights and changing displayslaysla

Merchandising is the art of displaying goods for sale in such a way that customers are tempted to buy.

Windows are prime selling space, occupying most of any

business presentation entry point


Low Score Examples High Score ExamplesWindows are prime selling space, occupying mostmost of any

Dirty,ty,ty cluttered, messy entry points, and those without access forforf people withdisabilities scored poorly

Clean, uncluttered, ramped entry points that made it easy to enter scored thehighest in this assessment

Windows are prime selling space occupyingup most of anymomostmoWW

The entry point is literally the front door to any retail business. Customers should find it easy and in viting to enter every store.

business presentation appeal



Businesses which did not score well on individual aspects likelikelik signage or windowsor entry points or merchandising also tended to score badly on overall appeal

High appeal is not just the domain of national, branded stores. It is within the graspof every retailer to create an appealing environment that tempts customers indoors

The total exterior and interior appeal of any business is influenced by the r s understanding of selling. The willingness of any customer to enter and buy is in direct response tothe overall appeal of the business.

business presentation




FREDBEN

LANE

CAMMERAY/ANZAC

AVENUE RESERVE

ANZA

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RALEIGH STREET

ABB

OTT

IXIO

NLA

NE

LAN

E

MILL

ER

LAN

E

CAMMERAYGALPLACE

WARRINGA

ABBO

TT

BELL

EVUE

STREET

AMHERST

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

STREET

MILL

ER

CAMMERAY

STRE

ET

STREET

ERNEST

VALE

ROSALIND

STREET

AN

ZAC

AVE

NUE

MORDE

ST LEONARDS PARK

BARD

SLEY

GA

RDEN

S

FIG TREE LANE

STRE

ET

LYTT

ON

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

TUC

KER

STRE

ET

STREETLILLIS

M

STREET

STREET

STRE

ET

FALCON

Sext

ons

Cotta

ge

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND

MO

RTO

NLA

NERO

ADRE

SERV

E

RIVERRO

AD

PEDESTRIA

NLIN

K

RIVE

RRO

AD

PED

ESTR

IAN

LINK

SINCLAIR STREET

ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE


NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

N O R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

BRIDGEVIEW

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

SEXTON PLACE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

NICHOLSON

LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANEPOLE

LANEALBANY

ATCHISON

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

LANE

MO

RTO

NLA

NE

LANE

CARLYLE

LANE

ZIGZA

G

RIVER

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

SERGEA

NTS

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

CLARKE

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

CHRISTIE

STREET

HIGHW

AY

MO

RTON

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

MASSEY STREET

STREET

JENKINSSTREET

FALCON

ERNEST

KYN

GD

ON

STRE

ET

HAYBERRY

ARM

STRO

NG

STRE

ET

EMMETTSTREET

CAR

LYLE

SELWYN

STREET

STREET

SINCLAIR

CRESCENT

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MILNER

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

DMITC

HELL

STRE

ET

GILLIES

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

CHRISTIE

STREET

STREET

HUM

E

RUSSELL

NICHOLSON

ROAD

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

STREET

STRE

ET

BORONIA STREET

BRUCE STREET STRE

ETSTREET

STREET

ALBANY

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

LAM

ON

T

BALFOURSTREET

ATCHISON

LITHGO

W

CARLOWSTREET

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

SHIR

LEY

MATER GARDENS

ROCKLANDS

CASSINS A

LANE


STREET

CA

SSIN

SLA

NE

REET

STREET

ROAD

PALMER

DONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ET

WHE

ATL

EIG

H

RIVER

PACIFIC

CHANDOS

HAM

ILTO

N

STREET

OXLEY

MA

CA

RTHU

RA

VEN

UE

ERNEST

ROD

BORO

UGH

AVE

NUE

STREETSe

xton

sCo

ttage

DAVID

BERN

ARD

LAN

ERO

AD

CLO

SURE

ERNEST PLACE

CAHILLPLAYGROUND


ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANE

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

ZIGZA

G

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

HIGHW

AY

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

STREET

FALCON

ERNEST

HAYBERRY

EMMETTSTREET

SIN

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

D

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

STREET

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

CE STREET STRE

ETSTREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

MYRTLE


STRE

ETST

REET

WHE

ATL

EIG

HW

HEA

TLEI

GH

STREETSTREET

CROWS NEST


RESERVE

ATCHISON

SERGEA

N

CHRISTIE

STRE

ET

STRE

ETCHANDOSCHANDOS

POLE

ALBANY

CLARKE

STREET

MITC

HELL

OXL

EY

ALBANY

PACIFIC


AN

TSST LEONARDS

NTS

STREETST LEONARDSSTREETST LEONARDSATCHISONST LEONARDSATCHISON SSSS 8 7

9

10

11

12

13

23

14

15

16

1

2

3

4

5

6

17

18

19

20

21

22

Legend

Excellent 81 +

Very Good 6

Good

Fair 2

Poor

Note: the customer experience is influenced by thenumber of vacant stores. Some block scores were

affected by zero scores for vacant premises

public spaces


Ernest Place Kelly Place

A well loved vibrant heart of Crows Nest, located near the Crows Nest CommunityCentre, this public space is used regularly at lunchtimes, for mothers groups andlocal markets on SaturdaysA number of issues exist within this space; inconsistent streetscape furniture (bins,seats and signs), dirty concrete retaining walls and graffiti on public infrastructure

A very large open space on the periphery of Crows Nest, adjoining Hume StCarpark. It receives little sunlight at certain times of the yearNot a very visible open space area from adjoining street frontages and suffers fromissues of perceived lack of safety

council carparks


Alexander St Carpark Holtermann St Carpark

Located at the top end of Crows Nest, and adjoins WoolwWoolwW orths, it is badly inneed of an upgradePublic spaces; staircases, bubbler,ler entry points are to an unacceptable standard,with chipped paint, dirty areas and rubbish

A well maintained Carpark in the centre of Crows Nest that is easily accessible andhas a high patronagePublic spaces are generally of a higher standard then those in Alexander St Carpark

council carparks


Hume St Carpark Crows Nest Plaza Carpark

Located behind Willoughby Rd and the Pacific Hwy,y a large ory that is clean,well maintained and often under capacityWeaknessesWeaknessesW include; faded signage, unlit pathways and generally lack of consumerawareness of available spaces

Internal Carpark is privately owned, it is dirty,ty dark and difficult to access forpedestriansExternal Carpark is Council owned, it is generally of poor standard with rubbish,unmaintained landscaping and uneven surfaces

landscaping


One of the key assets for Crows Nest, is its well maintained and extensive landscapetreatments that are one of its most distinctive characteristicsWilloughby Rd and Holtermann St have the most significant plantings and thesehave been incorporated into outdoor dining bays

Landscaping used for corner treatments is effective for managing pedestrianmovements and also adds colour to public spacesPlanter boxes on Pacific Highway are inappropriate as they are a domestic scale ona highway strip

street furniture


In public spaces bins should be avoided and formal bins like the one in theabove photo usedInfrastructure like community signs, bike racks and public seating are well providedfor within the retail precinctGraffiti is prevalent in many public space areas, on planter boxes and publicinfrastructure

Public lighting is of a high standard and well provided for on Willoughby Rd,Holtermann and Alexander Streets. Limited pedestrian scale lighting is in Clarke andHume Streets and the Pacific Hwy. At the time of the audit assessments 13 lightswithin the precinct were not workingPigeon droppings are consistent along most of Alexander St

foothpath licences goods


z

The footpath is the interface between the public and private domainMaintaining the visual appeal of the footpath is as essential as maintaining goodpedestrian movementMany Councils (Canterbury,y Fairfield and Newcastle) prohibit the display of goodslike hanging clothing racks, furniture, carpets, electrical goods or similar onfootpaths

The way that businesses are currently displaying goods of the footpath is detractingfrom the general quality of public spaces in Crows NestFootpath merchandising is obstructing views from one store to another,er and in manyinstances creating actual barriers to entering the store which is displaying the goods

One of the key assets for Crows Nest, is its well maintained and extensive landscapetreatments that are one of its most distinctive characteristicsWilloughby Rd and Holtermann St have the most significant plantings and thesehave been incorporated into outdoor dining bays

Landscaping used for corner treatments is effective for managing pedestrianmovements and also adds colour to public spacesPlanter boxes on Pacific Highway are inappropriate as they are a domestic scale ona highway strip

landscaping


street furniture


In public spaces bins should be avoided and formal bins like the one in theabove photo usedInfrastructure like community signs, bike racks and public seating are well providedfor within the retail precinctGraffiti is prevalent in many public space areas, on planter boxes and publicinfrastructure

Public lighting is of a high standard and well provided for on Willoughby Rd,Holtermann and Alexander Streets. Limited pedestrian scale lighting is in Clarke andHume Streets and the Pacific Hwy. At the time of the audit assessments 13 lightswithin the precinct were not workingPigeon droppings are consistent along most of Alexander St

foothpath licences goods


z

The footpath is the interface between the public and private domainMaintaining the visual appeal of the footpath is as essential as maintaining goodpedestrian movementMany Councils (Canterbury,y Fairfield and Newcastle) prohibit the display of goodslike hanging clothing racks, furniture, carpets, electrical goods or similar onfootpaths

The way that businesses are currently displaying goods of the footpath is detractingfrom the general quality of public spaces in Crows NestFootpath merchandising is obstructing views from one store to another,er and in manyinstances creating actual barriers to entering the store which is displaying the goods

foothpath licences outdoor dining


Low score High score

Most outdoor dining space in Crows Nest is linear. Square tables are preferable.Since most outdoor dining on Willoughby Road is at the street edge, furnitureagainst the store front creates a haphazard look to the streetBusinesses should not be permitted to store chairs and tables in designated areaswhen not in use (the photo at top right was taken at 12.45pm on a Friday)

Good examples of structured approach to design of outdoor diningInnovative and interesting options are used here to create a unique and distinctbusiness appealClean and uniform umbrellas are appealing. A single colour for every outdoordining licence in Crows Nest would improve the overall appeal of the streetscape

people place & partnership & city mark ail study f h sydne y 200 49

public spaces




FREDBEN

LANE

CAMMERAY/ANZAC

AVENUE RESERVE

ANZA

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RALEIGH STREET

ABB

OTT

IXIO

NLA

NE

LAN

E

MILL

ER

LAN

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CAMMERAYGALPLACE

WARRINGAA

BBOTT

BELL

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STREET

AMHERST

MA

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STREET

MILL

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CAMMERAY

STRE

ET

STREET

ERNEST

VALE

ROSALIND

STREET

AN

ZAC

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NUE

MORDE

ST LEONARDS PARK

BARD

SLEY

GA

RDEN

S

FIG TREE LANE

STRE

ET

LYTT

ON

ROD

BORO

UGH

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NUE

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PEDESTRIA

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LINK

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ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE


NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

N O R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

BRIDGEVIEW

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANE

SEXTON PLACE

BERN

ARD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

NICHOLSON

LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANEPOLE

LANEALBANY

ATCHISON

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

LANE

MO

RTO

NLA

NE

LANE

CARLYLE

LANE

ZIGZA

G

RIVER

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

SERGEA

NTS

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

CLARKE

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

CHRISTIE

STREET

HIGHW

AY

MO

RTON

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

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ALE

XAN

DER

MASSEY STREET

STREET

JENKINSSTREET

FALCON

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KYN

GD

ON

STRE

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HAYBERRY

ARM

STRO

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STRE

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EMMETTSTREET

CAR

LYLE

SELWYN

STREET

STREET

SINCLAIR

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WILL

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DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MILNER

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

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ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

CHRISTIE

STREET

STREET

HUM

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RUSSELL

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ROAD

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

STREET

STRE

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BORONIA STREET

BRUCE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

ALBANY

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

LAM

ON

T

BALFOURSTREET

ATCHISON

LITHGO

W

CARLOWSTREET

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

SHIR

LEY

MATER GARDENS

ROCKLANDS

CASSINS

LANE


STREET

CA

SSIN

SLA

NE

REET

STREET

ROAD

PALMER

DONNELLY ROAD

STRE

ET

WHE

ATL

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CHANDOS

HAM

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DAVID

BERN

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LAN

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CAHILLPLAYGROUND


ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

E

HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

LANE

MA

TTHE

WLA

NE

LAN

E

LANE

HAYBERRY

ALE

XAN

DER

FALCON

LANE

BURLINGTON

LANEBE

RNA

RD

LAN

E

JENKINSLANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

PLACE

NICHOLSON

ERNEST

LANE

LANE

LANE

ING

RAM

STREET

SOPHIA

LAN

E

LANE

LAN

E

CHANDOS

EMMETT

ZIGZA

G

LANE

WILL

OUG

HBY

LAN

E

LAN

E

STREET

IVES LANE

ZIG

LANE

HUNTINGTON

LANE

HUM

E

ERNESTLANE

LAN

E

ALE

XAN

DER

CHAPEL LANE

LAN

E

LAN

E

ZAG

STREET

TRAFALGAR STREET

HIGHW

AY

STRE

ET

BRO

OK

STRE

ET

ALE

XAN

DER

STREET

FALCON

ERNEST

HAYBERRY

EMMETTSTREET

SIN

WILL

OUG

HBY

DEVONSHIRE

STRE

ET

MA

TTHE

W

STREET

STREET

ROA

D

ROAD

BURLINGTON

STREET

WES

T

STREET

ERNEST PLACE

CHANDOS

OXL

EYST

REET

ATCHISON

STREET

STRE

ET

CE STREET STRE

ET

STREET

STREET

STREET

CLARKE

STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

HUM

E

STREET

MYRTLE


STRE

ETST

REET

WHE

ATL

EIG

HW

HEA

TLEI

GH

STREETSTREET

CROWS NEST


RESERVE

ATCHISON

SERGEA

N

CHRISTIE

STRE

ET

STRE

ET

CHANDOSCHANDOS

POLE

ALBANY

CLARKE

STREET

MITC

HELL

OXL

EY

ALBANY

PACIFIC


AN

TSST LEONARDS

NTS


17

Legend

Excellent 81 +

Very Good 6

Good

Fair 2

Poor

A Means to an EndFor more than forty years, shopping centres in Australiahave promoted on-site parking as a one of their bestassets. Over time we, as consumers, have forgotten howimportant it used to be for out-of-town shopping centresto convince us that this on-site parking made the driveaway from all the conveniences of our main streetshopping worthwhile.

Mainstreet retailers worry about parking and its potentialimpacts on their businesses. They look at shoppingcentres promoting abundant, free parking and forget thatparking is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Parkingallows people access to the places where they want toshop, play, or work, in the same way that buses, trains,cycling and walking allow access to places we want to go.

Because every vehicle trip needs parking at its destinationand every car trip replaces an alternative transportmode, parking is an integral component of the transportsystem. Parking is one of the first experiences thatpeople have when traveling to a destination. Convenientand accessible parking is almost a sign of welcome.Parking that is difficult to find, inadequate, inconvenientor overly expensive will frustrate users and cancontribute to spillover parking problems in other areas.

However, excessive parking can also create problems.Parking facilities are expensive to build, imposing financialcosts on developers, building users and governments.Parking facilities also impose environmental costs,contradicting community development objectives formore livable and walkable communities. Abundant freeparking tends to increase driving and discourage use ofalternative modes.

The Relationship between Parking and TimeParking and traffic studies count cars and tripmovements, without examining the reasons for choosingto park in a particular place. Instead we need to rely onalternative retail behaviour studies to try to draw someconclusions about the relationship between parking and aa customer’s behaviour once a car is parked.

Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer productscompanies conducted a large scale study of Americansupermarket shopping trips in 2004.

The study identified that the average:

• Quick Trip for a few grocery items takes 20 minutes

• Fill In Trip takes 40 minutes

• Major Stock-Up takes 54 minutes

Case Study – Armidale NSWThe University of New England conducted an intriguingstudy in Armidale in 1995. In ‘Tracking Armidale’Witherby and Baker analysed the movements of 170shoppers from where they parked their cars to the shopsvisited on their trip. The results are summarised as:

a) The average walking distance for Armidale shoppersfrom the carpark centroids to the furthest shop is130 metres. The result is consistent with estimatesfrom the USA.

b) The average walking distance for supermarketshopping from the carpark centroid is 95 metres.

c) The average time spent shopping was 25.4 minutes.

d) The average number of shops visited was 2.7 and thiscompared favourably with 2.8 from pedestrian surveysin Umea Sweden.

e) The results time-constrained shoppers who rely ontheir cars to provide them with space and timeaccessibility to a narrow range of shops.

f) The sequencing of trips demonstrated the importanceof supermarkets and banks as the first stop inshopping. The location of supermarkets is pivotal tospin-off shopping and secondary visits on averagewould be less than 285 metres from the supermarketcarpark location.

the role of parking


Factors Affecting Consumer Parking Decisions• The destination

• The purpose of the journey

• Cognitive effort - ease of locating parking spots

• Familiarity with the destination and parking facilities

• Perceived convenience - the relationship between thelocation of parking and the destination/s

• Quality and aesthetics of the facilities

• Perceptions of safety and security

• The price of parking

• Speed and reliability (travel speeds, waiting times,frequency of delay)

It’s fair to say that given an absolute choice, everyconsumer would prefer a free, unregulated parking spotright outside the destination’s front door. Any shoppingstreet with any enough available on-street parking tofulfill this desire for every customer would be gravelyconcerned about the viability of business.

Conversely, inadequate or expensive parking can causedelay and inconvenience if customer must search toolong parking or walk too far to their destinations.

In general, people prefer abundant, unpriced andunregulated parking.

The Price of ParkingUnless a parking spot is directly outside the destination,there is a always a cost, regardless of whether the parkingspot is free.

The ‘cost’ may be the time taken to walk to thedestination, it may be the burden of carrying shoppingback to the car, or it may be the price of feeling insecurein a poorly lit, unmanned parking station.

Fees for parking add another layer of complexity to thecost, and there is little doubt that parking fees do have anaffect on consumer behaviour.

A destination which charges for parking must be worththe overall ‘cost’. In major commercial and recreationalcentres where land values and infastructure costs arehigh, space is limited, alternative transport modes existand demand for parking is high, consumers react toparking fees by either paying them or choosing publictransport.

In centres like Crows Nest, where the critical mass ofbusiness activity in a condensed urban area imposes aneed to regulate parking through fees, the fundamentalquestion becomes how best to manage the overall ‘cost’of parking, making every aspect other than fees asinexpensive as possible.

Parking Management – A Paradigm Shift NeededParking Management represents a paradigm shift, achange in the way parking problems are defined andpotential solutions evaluated.

Old paradigm:Motorists should nearly always be able to easily find,convenient, free parking at every destination. Parkingplanning consists primarily of generous minimum parkingrequirements, with costs borne indirectly.

New paradigm:Parking facilities should be used efficiently, so parkingstations at a particular destination may fill (typically morethan once a week), provided that alternative options areavailable nearby, and travelers have information aboutthese options.

This means, for example, that parking stations have a signdescribing availability, that drivers may often have a choicebetween paid parking nearby, or free parking a few blocksaway. It also requires good walking conditions betweenparking facilities and the destinations they may serve.

Professional carpark operators know that parkingdecisions are secondary to destination decisions, sosecondary that they are frequently not made until thedriver arrives at his or her destination.

This is why branding and signage are so important tooperators like Wilson and Secure Parking and should alsobe important to precincts like Crows Nest.

the role of parking


Parking Management - New TechnologyNew technology can now convey accurate, real-time carpark space availability to drivers through computerisedon-street signage which can also provide accurateinformation about the number of free parking spaces atany given carpark.

In addition to saving drivers the frustration of searchingfor that elusive parking space, these parking guidancesystems can:

• Reduce the amount of time spent finding a parkingspace (The Qld Government has introduced parkingguidance systems at Southbank studies and refers tostudies which report that the time taken to find aparking space can be reduced by 50% when parkingguidance systems are implemented);

• Reduce circulating local traffic with the followingbenefits

• Improve road safety, particularly for pedestrians, byreducing circulating local traffic

In Sydney, a computerised parking guidance system isnow operational at QVB.

For Crows Nest, a system like this could assistcustomers locate the best available off-street parking inCouncil carparks.

Parking Management - Time LimitsBecause customer behaviours vary in relationship to theprimary purpose of their shopping trip, well managedcustomer parking should provide a variety of timingoptions if it is to maximise parking availability.

Crows Nest does currently offer a variety of time limitsfor on-street parking.

However, the current 2 hour evening on-streetrestriction could be inhibiting (or adversely affecting theconsumer experience of) restaurant dining. The averagerestaurant meal (including pre-dinner drinks and coffee)is estimated at 3 hours. Studies by Cornell Universityindicate that ‘feeling rushed’ is a major contributor to adissatisfactory restaurant experience.

Given Crow’s Nest status as a dining precint, it would beworthwhile investigating the feasibility of extending on-street parking restrictions from 2 hours to 4 hoursduring the evenings.

Whether or not this is feasible, the maintenance andlighting of Council operated carparks must be improvedin order to encourage greater use during the evening.

the role of parking


the role of parking

c people place & partnership & city marke ows nest retail study for north sydne y 200 54

Legend

30minP 8.30am t30minP 8.30am to 12.30pm Sat

1P 8.30am t1P 8.30am to 12.30pm Sat

1P 8.30am t1P 8.30 to 12.30pm Sat2P 6pm to 10pm 7 days

2P 8.30 t

Various ranging from 15mins to 1hour

30minP 10am t30minP 8.30am to 12.30pm Sat

1P 10am t1P 8.30am to 12.30pm Sat

1P 10am t1P 8.30am to 6pm Sat


crows nest and st le

FREDBEN

LANE

FOUR FIGS PARK

TARE

LLA

PLA

CE

FRED

BEN

AVE

NUE

AVE

METCALFE STREET

EDW

INST

REET

RA

ABB

OTT

IXIO

N

LAN

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MILL

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LAN

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CAMMERAYGALPLACE

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ABBO

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MA

CA

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ROSE GARDEN

LITHGO

WSTREET

ROA

DC

LOSURE


NICHOLSON

STREET ROAD

CLOSURE

ST THOMAS REST PARK

HUME STREETPARK

CHRISTIE STREET

RESERVE

R T HS H O R E

R A I L W A YL I N

E

THO

MA

SLA

NEHOSPITAL LANE

BRO

OK

LAN

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BRIDGEVIEW

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LAN

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FALCON

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BERN

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JENKINSLANE

WILL

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FALCON

LANE

DEAN LANE

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PLACE

NICHOLSON

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LANE

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LAN

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STREET

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LANE

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BRUCE STREET STRE

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STREET

STRE

ET HOLTERMANN

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STREET

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MATER GARDENS

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DAVID

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BRO

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LAN

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HUNTINGTONSTREET

BURLINGTON

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Carpark Conditions

Hume Street 2hrs free Monday to Saturdaybefore 6pmAfter 2 hrs $3/half hour with amaximum of $30 per daySunday free parkingEarly Bird parking Mon t ri (enterbetween 7.30am and 9.30 am, exit3.00pm to 6.30pm)Night rate Mon to Sat entry 6pmexit 1am following day $4 flat feePermanent parking monthly accounts$275

Holterman St 2 hours free Monday to Saturdaybefore 6pmAfter 2 hours $3/half hour with amaximum of $30 per daySunday free parkingPermanent parking monthly accounts$297

Alexander St 2 hours free Monday to Saturdaybefore 6pm. After 2 hours $3/halfhour with a maximum of $30 perdaySunday free parking

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Hume St Carpark

Crows Nest Plaza

Holtermann StCarpark

Alexander StCarpark

crows nest retail study for north sydney council, June 2007, page 52

7%7%1%9%

83%


10%2%

19%

2%

22% 2%

26%

8%8%3%3%3%3%5%


Located 8 km from the Sydney CBD on theLower North Shore

Nestled into some of Sydney Harbourmost beautiful coves and beaches

The shopping centre extends from theintersection with Bradley Head Toad andMiddle Head Road and continues north tothe intersection with Spit Road at SpitJunction

A prosperous suburb acknowledged bythe ABS as one of the wealthiest in thecountry

The shopping street is dominated byfashion, interspersed with fresh food, cafesand restaurants

There are 255 ground floor addresses in Mosman. Ofthese, 218 are occupied retail or service businesses.

The vacancy rate is low, with just 11 addresses currentlyunoccupied.

8 addresses are current under redevelopment, and 18addresses are residential addresses to the main street.

s retail strength lies in its Fashion offer 63businesses are in the Clothing and Footwear category.This offer is supplemented by a strength in Cafes &Restaurants & Fresh & Specialised Food seafood, fruit &vegetables, meat, pr epared meals, chocolates, bakersand patisseries.


3%3%3%7%4%

85%

Retail VacantResidential Redevelopment

5%5%2%

22%

3%

11%

5% 11%5%

9%

28%



Signage: Good

Windows: VerVerV yGood

Merchandising:VerVerV y Good


The standard of business presentation in Mosman ishigher than Crows Nest

Entry Point:Good

Interior Appeal:VerVerV y Good

BuildingAppearance:

Good


Signage: Good


Merchandising:VerVerV y Good


7%7%1%9%

83%


Lane Cove is centrally located only 8kilometres from the Sydney CBD o n theLane Cove River

Operates on a tranquil, village scalewhich is in contrast to the nearby majorshopping centres of Chatswood, andMacquarie

The centre features many small arcadesthat interrupt the streetscape but create aunique flavour overall

Council has approved a DevelopmentApplication for a Woolworths in the LaneCove Village.

Lane Cove has exceptional public spaces,well used for performances, busking andcommunity information activities

There are 203 ground floor addresses in Lane Cove. Ofthese, 11 are vacant and 9 are commercial premises.Retail and commercial services in Lane Cove are made upof: restaurants and take away food outlets; travel agents;banks and real estate agents; food shopping facilitiesincluding Coles, a Deli, butcher, bakeries, and fruit shops;$2 shops; clothing stores; gift and homewares stores;galleries; clubs and pubs; flo wer stores; and a patisserie.

Unlike Crows Nest and Mosman, Lane Cove features anumber of medical practitioners and medical specialistsoperating from ground floor premises. Excluding theseand other commercial and community uses at groundfloor , the retail mix in Lane Cove is not as clearly definedas either Crows Nest or Mosman.


9%2%

5%

84%

0%

ResidentialRetailVacantCommunity/ReligiousCommercial/Medical

6%6%2%

29%

3%6% 5%

17%

10%

8%

13%

Clothing & FootwearSupermarkets, Fresh & Specialised FoodHairdressing & BeautyCafes/Restaurants/TakeawayPharmaceutical, Cosmetics, OptometristsHomewares/HousewareBanksMiscellaneousClubs, Pubs, LiquorVacant


Signage: Fairand Good


BusinessAppeal: Good

where we stand - retail mix


0%

6%

12%

18%

24%

30%

Crows Nest Mosman Lane Cove

Cafes Restaurants Takeaway Homewares/Housewares Vacant Hairdressers & Beauty Clothing Supermarkets, Fresh Food

wher es


0

20

40

60

80

Crows Nest Mosman Lane Cove0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Crows Nest Mosman Lane Cove

Business Presentation Building Presentation Access & Parking Public Spaces

summary of observations:Crows Nest


Local GovernmentPublic Spaces in Crows Nest are high

quality but need attention to detail when itcomes to cleaning and maintenance

Directional signage to parking must be improvedPublic carparks must be spotlessly clean & well lit at all

timesParking time restrictions may be inhibiting leisurely

dining at night


Crows Nest succeeds as a shopping precinctbecause all participants are contributing to acertain extentCrows Nest could be more successful witheffort from all participantsAs other precincts develop their own specialistniche and their own reputations, Crows Nestwill have to work harder to stay abreastWithout efforts to move forward and stayahead of consumer trends, Crows Nest couldbegin to lose trade to other precincts.Consumers have endless choices and are notafraid to change their shopping habits to bettersuit their needsCouncil and Mainstreet both have a role to playin achieving better standards of private andpublic presentation and a better customerexperienceA significant challenge is the task of engagingbuilding owners in improving buildingappearance. If rents are adequate (high)without investment this is difficultProperty owners must be convinced they canachieve higher rents through investment beforethey will spendTo some extent this could be at odds withMainstreet objectives

Property OwnersBuilding maintenance is poor

There is little evidence of interest ininvestment or redevelopment

As building stock continues to agerents may decline as businesses are

unable to expand or upgradePressure will build to amalgamate

small lots and redevelop e.g. Mosmanhas seen a redevelopment surge in the

last 2 years

RetailersPoint of difference from other towncentres is strong in terms of business

mixLack of fresh food options is inhibiting

frequent shopping and could havenegative impacts as consumer trends

towards freshness and health continueto grow

Standards of presentation are poor bycomparison with Lane Cove and

Mosman and exceptionally poor bycomparison with shopping centre

competitors

CrowsNest has the

advantage of an activeMainstreet Program which

can engage with all participants,encouraging each of them to

improve elements within theirown individual control

recommendations


Item Retailers Property Owners Mainstreet/Chamber Council

Planning Take full advantage of opportunitiespresented by current planningcontrols

Communicate to retailers the benefitsof clustering to attract regionalvisitation

Support those retailers who feelunable to rise to the challenge ofnearby competition

Include the Fiat/Sleep City block inall marketing communications aboutCrows Nest

Maintain mixed use zoning, which offersthe best flexibility for future adaptationto changing retail trends

Consider the implications of formally re-aligning the Crows Nest boundary toinclude the Fiat/Sleep City block

Consider the planning and trafficimplications of encouraging higherorder retail uses which require aminimum footprint of 400 sq metres

Consider the merits of communicating toproperty owners the potential benefitsof site amalgamation to encouragethrough links from Pacific Highway toWilloughby Road

Work with nearby and adjacentCouncils to discourage Bulky Goodsdevelopment

recommendations



Buildings Encourage owners to repaint/upgrade facades at beginning of newlease (consider co-funding)

Develop a regular maintenance planfor building exteriors, with particularattention to:• Cleanliness�• Paint color and condition�• Lighting condition and adequacy�

Choose painted colour schemes thatcomplement the character of mostbuildings in the street

Follow principles of colour theming orseek advice from a colour expert

Remove graffiti as soon as it is applied

Encourage high standards ofpresentation by recognising buildingowners who have maintained orupgraded their properties, possiblythrough some form of awardsprogram

Provide advice to building ownersabout colour schemes, benefits ofupgrading or maintaining buildings toa high standard (higher rents/bettertenants/lower maintenance costs inthe long term)

Seek support from local real estateagents to encourage building ownersto upgrade premises at start of newleases

recommendations



Signage Signage should be clear, bold andreflect the point of difference of thebusiness

A row of well-maintained, uniquesigns adds a lot of character andpersonality to any shopping strip

Ensure signs are; visible, legible, wellmaintained and updated regularly

The common errors identified in theaudit assessment for Crows NestBusinesses were:

• too many signs per business• old branding mixed with new

branding for an individualbusiness

• dirty signs

Introduce signage clauses in tenantleases to ensure that buildings arewell presented within the publicdomain

Include housekeeping tips in regularnewsletters to retailers

Highlight/showcase good signage inregular newsletters to retailers

Audit signage within Crows Nest toascertain whether current planningcontrols are appropriate

Review signage controls with attentionto:

• Number of signs permitted perbusiness

• Application of sandwich boardswithin footpaths

• Maintenance of signs• Materials used for signs

recommendations



Windows Good window displays will enhancecommunication of the product, brandand image. Ensure windows:• Are clean from dirt, dust and

fingerprints• Have fresh displays at least once a

week• Create window displays that are

at eye levelThe common errors identified in theaudit assessment for Crows NestBusinesses were:• Dirty windows (fingerprints, dust,

old notices)• Too many props, poor handwritten

signs• Evidence of sticky tape from signs

which have been removed• Displays changed too seldom

Investigate opportunity for a co-ordinated approach to cleaning ofwindows throughout Crows Nest


Provide Visual Merchandising adviceto businesses on how to regularlyupdate and promote their businessesthrough window presentation

recommendations



Entry Points The entrance to a store is extremelyimportant as it is the access to abusiness and its merchandise. Ensureentry points are inviting and clear ofobstruction.The common errors identified in theaudit assessment for Crows NestBusinesses were:• clutter at entrances to stores• dirty front entrances• broken tiles or torn carpets in the

doorway

Ensure that entry points are kept ingood repair and are updated toreflect the needs of retail tenants

Upgrade step entries to moreaccessible ramps


Ensure minimum health and safetyrequirements are being met

Ensure that access for prams,wheelchairs and others meets theminimum statutory requirements

Merchandising Merchandising is the art of displayinggoods for sale in such a way thatcustomers are tempted to buy.


• Little understanding of the conceptof merchandising rather than juststacking goods together

• Haphazard displays• Too much or too little on display• Lack of theming

Fund, Co-fund or investigateopportunities to offer training sessionson how to understand changing retailtrends so that businesses can makeinformed decisions on the productsand services that they provide

Provide Visual Merchandising adviceto businesses on how to regularlyupdate and promote their businessesthrough in-store merchandising

Consider enlisting Crows Nestretailers who are skilled inmerchandising to provide tips toothers

recommendations



Interior Appeal A well-planned floor layout willeffectively maximise the retail spacefor greater economic return. Internaltraffic flow must consider:• Easy access (wheelchairs, prams

etc)• Visible aisle-ways• Suitable aisle patterns• Register point/s• Display point positions• Fixture configuration


• Cluttered stores• Old/poor fixtures• Poor internal ticketing

Ensure that the basic infrastructurewithin the building meets therequirements of contemporary retailbusinesses (ie plumbing, lighting,retail spaces etc)

Provide regular advice to retailersabout how best to develop anappealing store layout

Consider guest speakers and trainingsessions

recommendations

crows nest retail study for north sydney council, July 2007, page 69


Business Appeal For consumers effective temptation tomake a purchase starts at thestorefront and is carried throughoutthe store, with the floor plan, signs,fixtures, lighting and colour schemesall working together to inspirecustomers to buy, return and buyagain

Retailers should ensure that theirbusiness responds to customer needs,retail seasons (ie Easter, Christmasetc), fashion, trends and local events


• hastily prepared seasonal signs(there is no excuse for handwrittenend of financial year signs)

• tired menus, little sign thatrestaurants are adapting tochanging consumer trends

Fund, co-fund, or investigate fundinggrants for retail make-overs

Newsletter articles and guest speakersat events could regularly updateinformation on consumer trends

Consider a Business Awards programwhich recognises and encouragesretailer (and building owner)excellence in categories including:

• Service• Merchandising• Outdoor Dining• Signage• Building/store presentation• Overall Excellence

Provide businesses with up-to-date2006 Census data on localdemographics to assist with businessand marketing plans

Such information may include; dataabout age, ethnicity, family type,income and home ownership of locals

recommendations



Outdoor Dining Businesses with outdoor dining areasin footpath space are responsible forthe maintenance and operation of thespace

Ensure that attention to detail isachieved in a physically sound andvisually appealing high standard,particularly:

• Furniture that is attractive,functional and durable

• The area is clean and wellmaintained

• Plantings are maintained andregularly changed

• Umbrellas are clean and wellmaintained

• Effort is given to the wholeexperience ie wind and sunprotection is provided, heating forwinter

Encourage/Recognise excellence inoutdoor dining through a specificcategory in an Awards program


Investigate co-ordinated cleaningprogram for outdoor dining umbrellas

Council is responsible to thecommunity for effectively managingfootpath areas and balancing themany uses required in a diverseCentre like Crows Nest

Review outdoor dining guidelines withparticular attention to:

• Furniture (style, colour)• Umbrella (colour, style and height)• Heating (appropriate types)• Maintenance and cleanliness

recommendations



FootpathGoods Display

If permitted at all, footpathmerchandising should be kept to anabsolute minimum and should bepresented at a high standard


• too much product• product impeding pedestrian

movement• product obscuring views of

adjacent business entries• unkempt/untidy appearance

Include housekeeping tips in regularnewsletters to retailersEncourage high standards ofpresentation on the footpath

Council is responsible for theeffective management of the footpathareas and the general appearance ofdisplays within the Town Centre

Currently the activities within thesespaces are of a low standard

Council should review its guidelines,approval process and ongoingmanagement of footpath goodsdisplay

recommendations


Item Retailers Property Owners Mainstreet/Chamber Council/Mainstreet

Street Furniture Report cleanliness issues to Council Monitor and report state ofmaintenance and cleanliness toCouncil

Review service level agreements toachieve upgrades, maintenance andimplementation of new infrastructure

Immediate issues are:

• Graffiti removal• Removal of ‘wheely’ bins in public

spaces• Ensure footpaths on Alexander St

are cleaned on a regular basis toremove pigeon droppings

• Pedestrian lighting: work closelywith the infrastructure provider toensure that lights are replacedwithin a specified timeframe

Landscaping Report landscaping problems toCouncil

Monitor and report condition oflandscaping to Council

Review well established landscapingto ensure that measures are in placefor replacement and overall lifecycle

PedestrianLighting

Report lighting problems to Council Monitor and report state ofmaintenance and repair of lighting toCouncil

Ensure that lights are replaced withina specified timeframe

recommendations



Parking Businesses should ensure that theypromote available carparking optionsto customers i.e. use the parkingvoucher scheme or abandon italtogether

Businesses should dicourage staff fromdriving to Crows Nest and occupyingparking spaces which wouldotherwise be available for customers

Businesses may consider providingincentives for staff who use alternateoptions other than a car to travel towork

Review parking voucher schemeeffectiveness

Investigate:• feasibility of real time signage

solutions to improve ease oflocating available parking

• variable pricing (ie chargedifferent rates for peak and off-peak parking times)

• short stay parking spaces on streetor in parking stations forconvenience trips

Review on-street parking charges after6pm (possibility of 4 hours streetparking at a metered flat rate) toimprove access to evening uses

Review North Sydney Council parkingvouchers (evidence of underutilisationby local businesses)

Improve lighting infrastructure fromWilloughby Road to Hume St carpark

Conduct a behavioural study trackingthe way people use the Crows Nestand move between parking, shopsand cafes/restaurants. Such a studyto investigate total time spent andwhether or not cars are moved inorder to remain in Crows Nest butavoid parking fines

recommendations



Public Spaces Report areas that need attention toCouncil

Monitor and report state ofmaintenance and cleanliness toCouncil

Review service level agreements toachieve clean and well maintainedfootpaths, carparks, concreteretaining walls, graffiti removal, wastecollection.

Immediate attention should be givento:

• Graffiti removal from telephonebox, electricity box and signagewithin Ernest place

• Pressure cleaning of concreteretaining walls used for seating inErnest Place

• Investigate opportunity to installpedestrian lighting (similar to thaton Willoughby Rd and AlexanderSt) on Clarke and Hume to ensureentry points to the carpark is welllit

• Cleaning of seating at all bus stops

Develop/review public domainimprovement plan for Pacific Highwayto establish a look and feel for thisprecinct that distinguishes it fromWilloughby Road

recommendations



Marketing Consider developing a Brand &Marketing Strategy with clearobjectives, well identified strategies andmeasurable Performance Indicators forsubmission to Council.

As a guide it would include thefollowing budget lines:

• Review of current logo contributionto Brand Expression of Crows Nest$10,000

• A single signature event with thecapacity to promote dining andhomewares $30,000

• Advertising in local press at peakretail periods e.g. Christmas$50,000

• Website development, includingprofessional photography $6,000

• Regular professionally designednewsletters to retailers and propertyowners $10,000

• Business upskilling and training$15,000

• Communications to improvebusiness mix e.g. attract fresh foodretailers $10,000

If approached by Mainstreet with awell developed Brand & MarketingStrategy that includes clear objectivesand performance indicators, consider:• A 12 month diversion of part of the

special rate from public works tomarketing activities

• Continued diversion of part of thespecial rate subject to satisfactoryreporting against objectives andperformance indicators

To date, marketing of Crows Nest has been limited to some cinema advertising, participation in website provided by others, and sponsorship of 2 community festivals by the MainstreetCommittee. Crows Nest has been relying on a well earned reputation as a dining precinct, but has not maximised the potential offered by Crows Nest category strength in Homewares.

crows nest retail study july 07


People Place & Partnership Pty Ltd and City Marketing Pty Ltdhave attempted to make the information in this report as

accurate as possible. People Place & Partnership Pty Ltd andCity Marketing Pty Ltd do not accept responsibility for any

loss or damage occasioned by use of the informationcontained within this report.

crows nest retail study - north sydney council...renewed efforts by council to maintain public...

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