House.Land.Home.
Bikes, petrol, mowers, and now a new supermarket
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AYLESFORD is to get a new, but much smaller, supermarket. And it will be run by a son of one of the nation’s great supermarket figures, Leo Blake, of the treasured Leo’s of Kew, Melbourne, who first opened a supermarket 52 years ago. Brendan Blake plans to open Blake Family Grocer in Spring on the site of the former Rodda mower repair and sales firm in Howe Street. He has run Maxi Foods shops in both Ballarat and Castlemaine for 20 years. “I’m getting the hang of it,” he says. Brendan, 51, says $2 million is being spent refurbishing his new site. Although he obtained a permit for the supermarket a year ago, complicated negotiations delayed its start. “I’ve been trying to get a supermarket in Daylesford for years.” He found many locals shop for gourmet food at his Castlemaine store. “We’ll have fresh and cured meats, gourmet dips and a huge cheese offering, as well as a café inside. A café creates a nice ambience as part of a supermarket.” It will not have a liquor licence. “Basically we had to rebuild the place...a new roof, wiring, all that remains are the walls.” He can scarcely speak highly enough of the cooperation from the Hepburn Shire Council. “They have been wonderful,” he says. “Fabulous.” Brendan says his father, who died recently aged 79, was an internationally ranked innovator who opened supermarkets across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs after his first place in Seaford. He began his Kew store in 1985 and ran others in Hartwell and Heidelberg, as well as a Maxi Foods in Upper Ferntree Gully, which Brendan ran in 1993. In the suburbs in which they operate, Maxi Foods are a locally-owned alternative to Coles and Woolworths. The Daylesford site's foundation as a bike shop is recalled by a sign remembered by John Rodda: “Established 1948.” John Rodda’s father bought part of the block from Trevor Mead, who lived next door. John, who is now semi-retired and living in Yackandandah, says his father and uncle had timber mills and set up the shop to repair their equipment and other people’s. It had been Maddock’s Bike Shop, then Central Garage, with a bowser out the front. John remembers his father buying that from Andy Williams and then having Tom Manning build a workshop and Bill Bird the showroom. Apart from five years away, John continuously ran the mower repair and sales business until moving to Railway Crescent, off East Street, in 2009, leaving eight years later. Michael DeVincentis, of Biggin & Scott, believes the new store will have a major impact on Howe Street.
“The town is locked between the two roundabouts and this will direct foot traffic up the hill. It will be fantastic for the town, especially in that position.” His connection with the Blakes goes back to spending 15 years in a Rotary Club with Leo Blake. “We’ve been with Brendan all the way through, and there is a substantial investment involved, with quality installations, such as fridges from Italy, which have already arrived in the country.”
Words: Kevin Childs | Image: David White
Money with Matt
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N AN annual basis, when July and August roll around, we welcome the new financial year.
For many tax accountants, this also means welcoming the opportunity to hear the latest tax myth stemming from somebody’s uncle who heard it from their mate at the local Woolworths where they were talking taxes whilst waiting at the deli.
Myth: You can claim 5000km as a motor vehicle expense for business use without proof. Fact: You may need to provide written evidence to show how you worked out your business kilometres (for example, by producing diary records of work-related trips). Myth: The ATO won’t know if I make a few bogus claims, they have bigger fish to fry. Fact: The ATO these days have software that compares the claims you make against other Australians in your industry. For example, if you’re a school teacher, and you make much larger claims than all of your peers, there’s a fair chance you’ll be asked to provide evidence of your claims. The truth is, you may have legitimate claims, but I wouldn’t want to be the one arguing your case if you don’t have receipts.
Myth: Lodging your tax return as early as possible will get you your refund quicker. Fact: The tax office generally doesn’t even start to process returns from their end until the 14th July. There’s not much point trying The bottom line is, please don’t rely on advice from anyone but a professional. to lodge prior to this. Also, quite often, people who lodge in the first 3 weeks of July often forget small pieces of information such as bank interest earned on savings. This Lodging an incorrect return with false or misleading data can cause all sorts of issues actually ends up slowing down the process for that individual as the ATO will match including fines, penalties and even criminal charges in extreme circumstances. the information provided with information from the bank itself, and the taxpayer will Matthew Richardson is a certified accountant with Cooke & Foley in have to amend the return to get their information correct. Myth: “Just complete my return and claim the amounts you’re allowed to without receipts.” Fact: There really isn’t much you can claim without receipts. The bottom line is, to get the best return, you need to have kept receipts and details of tax-deductible items.
Ballarat.