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OUR PROPOSED NEW SHOP SIGNAGE - THE SAGA TO DATE
2007: 2 weeks after we lodged our Development Application (cost nearly $500), Waverley Council informed us that there were no objections to the DA for new shop signage and awning for our recently opened shop, but told us that we should not go ahead until they confirmed to us in writing. Long after the 4-week time limit for so-called "Fast Track" applications, they still had not given us written permission. Consequently, 4 months after we opened our doors, we remained invisible from the street, and people walking by were oblivious to our presence.
Eventually, after we pushed and pushed, we were finally given permission to put up the striped awning which now graces our shop-front. But we were refused permission to erect any projecting commercial signage or lighting - lighting which was much needed for the street, given the perilous state of the pavement outside. Even now that the pavement has bene made good, external lighting is badly needed due to the pitch blackness of the yard at the side of the shop, where the bins for our building are kept, and which is a perilous minefield of unseen obstacles at night.
Needless to say, we are not pleased, and still, over a year after opening, nearly every day we have locals and visitors complaining that they had a problem to find us, or that they wish they'd seen us earlier.
No wonder that small businesses find it so hard to survive in Waverley's "Shopping Villages", when the local Council does everything it can to help the major undercover shopping malls, while failing to stand up to the massive retailers such as Woolworths and Coles, and being obstructive to small struggling local businesses, and sending their parking wardens out to extract as much money as they can from customers, suppliers or delivery vehicles foolish enough to park in those villages.
The pictures above and below show how we portrayed the proposed shopfront in our application (click the one below for schematic and dimensions).
The striped awning is now in place, which helps a little, but how much better would it be if people could see that we have something to do with dogs and cats, and are not simply another touristy gift-shop boutique? And maybe we're biased, but we genuinely believe that what we have proposed adds character and enhances the look of our part of the charming local shopping village that exists at the axis of Hall Street, Jacques Avenue and Gould Street, and our neighbours wholeheartedly support this view.
UPDATE
Waverley's Mayor, Cllr Ingrid Strewe, met with bowhouse's TopDog on Wednesday 21st May 2008 to address this and other issues.
Almost immediately after this meeting, works to the footpath outside were promptly carried out to deal with the recurrent flooding problems which we encountered last year.
Landscaping works have yet to be completed, but we are grateful that we no longer have the eternal sweeping and mopping up whenever it rains.
We are now awaiting a visit from Waverley's head of planning to resolve the outstanding issue of external signage and lighting.
Watch this space!!
Meanwhile, our thanks go to the Mayor for taking an interest and getting wheels in motion, and for her subsequent follow-up visit to assess matters.
With luck, we'll be able to stop whingeing before next winter rolls round...
STOP PRESS
Our favourite artist, Anne-France Fulgence (AF), has volunteered to make the signs which we proposed in our application.How can the council possibly object to us taking up such a fabulous offer?We also have a magnificent black metal cat - rather different to, but better than, the one envisaged in our application - which will be perfect for the shopfront.We're tempted to just go ahead and do it, but having managed to gain the Mayor's attention, we're hoping that someone in authority will judge our plans on their merits and facilitate the go-ahead to Do Something Good.
If not, we'll start a Petition, but hopefully that won't be needed ...
Wish us luck!!As for AF, if you want to see her work, we shall be exhibiting a selection of her superb pieces in our store from the beginning of July, or you can visit AF's web-site by clicking here.
PROPOSED FRONT VIEW
For a schematic view and dimensions, click here
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