Robert Van Straalen told Town of Victoria Park councillors at a briefing session last Tuesday that business at his King George Street TAB slowed about a month ago when parking meters were installed.
‘It is a 30-odd per cent revenue hit that directly affects me and my family,’ Mr Van Straalen said.
‘I implore you to look into the plight of small business in the area urgently. It’s not just me, it’s the restaurants as well.’
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READ NOWHe was backed by Racing and Wagering WA (RWWA) retail planning manager Robert Moffat who told council that if the downturn continued for 12 months RWWA’s distributions to the racing industry would be reduced by about $100,000.
‘About 7-10 per cent of the adult population frequent the TAB and local customers have been irate while others have shown concern at having to pay for parking,’ Mr Moffat said.
‘This is hurting the small business person and our agents are paid a commission on sales so he is copping it in the pocket.’
Mr Van Straalen appealed for the council to provide parking permits for him and his staff as it was not possible to shut the door of his business so he could go out and ‘feed the meter’.
‘It’s a $60 fine per day and I can’t afford it,’ he said.
‘If we must have paid parking can it be between 8.30am and 5.30pm (instead of until 9pm).
‘Last Friday there were inspectors issuing fines and it became quite an ugly scene.
‘If tar and feathers were available, then two people would have been tarred and feathered.’
Mr Moffat told the Gazette the RWWA was only responsible for providing parking for its employees, not its agents.