The Canberra Times is giving credence to research undertaken for QIC that the Canberra Centre is actually good for retailers outside of the belly of the beast.
Rival traders have long claimed QIC has bought shops in Garema Place and sucked the life out of City East with its multi-levels of car parking and enclosed retailing.
But the impact statement supporting QIC’s latest bid to add more than $500 million worth of development to the mall says an under-supply of homewares and full-line supermarkets, average quality merchandising and out-dated shopfronts in City East detract from the city’s commercial heart.
Apparently they’re promising either a Harvey Norman or an Ikea if they get the green light.
* Bunyip, The Monster That Ate Canberra.