Another empty shopfront in Garema Place?

This is probably a belated result of the liquor laws rather than anything to do with the increasingly desolate appearance of Garema place.

gooterz said :

How long before its part of the canberra centre!
Doesnt take much to realise the new part of the canberra centre has a big window facing out toward Centrepoint which would easily be extended.

Possible QIC expansion into Garema Place was one of the main reasons given by Caffe Della Piazza for closing their doors a year or two back.

There may have been more to it than that behind the scenes, I don’t know, but I’m still sad we have lost that restaurant as it was a real favourite.

MelonHead said :

Wouldn’t this ramshackle 2 story building much better serve Canberra’s needs by being a 22 storey office block, encompassing a multitude of community needs, as well as being the greenest building in town?

Think of the profits!

It could be interesting to replace that block with a high rise with shops on the ground floor with a mix of office a residential higher up. It would suit the centrepoint name more than the current building does.

Put a huge canopy over city walk. Might be as simple as that.

It’s closed.

Yet another pub gone.

I can 100% confirm that The Australian is closed for good. I can’t confirm as to why, but it is not being renovated, it’s goooone!

MelonHead said :

Pay attention to RA. Is not this site owned by QIC (aka our Grubbiment’s Overlords)?

Wouldn’t this ramshackle 2 story building much better serve Canberra’s needs by being a 22 storey office block, encompassing a multitude of community needs, as well as being the greenest building in town?

Think of the profits!

Turn that block into a CostCo!!!! 😉

Pay attention to RA. Is not this site owned by QIC (aka our Grubbiment’s Overlords)?

Wouldn’t this ramshackle 2 story building much better serve Canberra’s needs by being a 22 storey office block, encompassing a multitude of community needs, as well as being the greenest building in town?

Think of the profits!

Just to clarify, Westfield doesn’t own Canberra Centre – it is Qld Investment Corp (QIC).

As others have said, the only way to stop it happening is to support the shops that are there. The problem is that the area attracts a fair few marginal businesses, although it also has some long-established ones. These businesses do little to create a critical mass to get people out of the Mall. Without some sort of co-ordinated intervention to make the place draw more people, it will never getb there. The ice skating rink is a very good example of things that could do this. It would be great to have something different happening in there all year round so there is a reason to go there apart from the shops. Once this happens, the right businesses can open there and be self-supporting.

JennD said :

What could we do to ensure it survives westfield?

buy things from them ?

How long before its part of the canberra centre!
Doesnt take much to realise the new part of the canberra centre has a big window facing out toward Centrepoint which would easily be extended.

Totally agree, I’d love to keep garema place going as a shopping mall – the original kind! All a mall is is a dedicated walking area for doing things in whether it’s buying and selling or not. Putting them inside buildings is fine to an extent (obviously weather is an impact!) but I also love walking along outside, popping into the odd shop or two. What could we do to ensure it survives westfield?

They’ve started taking down the signage, and a family member has been calling/emailing for weeks regarding a booking with no answer. If they’re renovating you’d think there would be some kind of signage on the window/website to reflect this.

The number of empty shops in City Walk is steadily climbing. Centerpoint is virtually empty and other small plazas are looking thin.

Im still unsure what made the pub “Australian”.

deye said :

That said, whether it’s closed or renovating it sure didn’t last long.

Depends on your time scale. It lasted longer than Red Herring…

There’s nothing on their website.

I think they are renovating given the lack of “for lease” signs and that they haven’t boarded up upstairs and appeared to be doing something in there last night.

That said, whether it’s closed or renovating it sure didn’t last long.