IF SILENCE IS GOLDEN THEN DUCT TAPE IS SILVER The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 36 #13 • September 8, 2021 • www.echo.net.au
Renters and landlords speak of trying times Paul Bibby Challenging times seem to bring out the best and the worst in people, and Byron’s small business landscape appears to be seeing plenty of both during the current COVID lockdown. A series of interviews with commercial tenants and landlords in the Shire reveal tales of selfishness, generosity, and everything in between, as both groups try to navigate the stormy seas of the global pandemic. The experience of the muchloved Pure Melt chocolate shop and cafe in Mullumbimby highlights some of the highs and lows of small business ownership in these uncertain times. After six years serving organic coffee, chocolatey treats and ice cream to locals, Pure Melt’s owner, Sarah Wheeler, has had to close the cafe side of her business after being asked to pay 53 per cent more in rent. ‘It was within their rights to do it, but it feels wrong to me, given what’s going on in the world and all the effort I’ve put into the business’, Ms Wheeler told The Echo. ‘I thought “What’s going to happen to Mullum if I agree to this?” ‘What would I need to charge for a cup of coffee to pay that kind of rent? ‘It’s going to set a precedent, and I don’t want to be a part of that happening in Mullum.’ But Ms Wheeler’s landlords see things differently. They say that the rent she was paying was quite low compared to other similar businesses in the
Greg Sheehan’s rhythms and diaries released ▶ p4
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town, and that the 53 per cent increase would have brought it into line with a similar business nearby. ‘We’re surprised at what the local rental market is throwing up at the moment,’ said the landlords, who asked not to be named. ‘We knew that we were heading into a storm [by increasing the rent], but decisions have to made and we’re doing our best to navigate a way through, like everyone else.’ Ms Wheeler disputes the claim that other, similar businesses in the town are paying $891 a week in rent, as she was asked to pay.
'Ķǔ ĕſĕŕĈĕ şĪ şżĶŕĶşŕ There is also a difference of opinion between the two parties over whether Ms Wheeler was given the chance to negotiate a new rental agreement or not. Regardless of this, she has found a way to make the best of her situation – accelerating her plans to take the business to the next level, significantly improving her online presence and rolling out national distribution, while still supplying local shops and markets. ‘A lot of love and care goes into my products, and I want them to be available nation-wide’, she says. ‘If there’s one good thing to come out of this it’s that I now get the chance to focus on doing that’. One of the biggest causes of consternation, and in some cases conflict, between commercial landlords and tenants, is the issue of rent freezes and reductions. Commercial landlords can access significant financial support ▶ Continued on page 3
Twenty six years ago in 1997, The Echo ran a story on Earnest Kingsley and the celebration of his 106th birthday. Last Sunday, Earnest’s daughter Audrey, turned a very youthful 100. Originally from Gloucestershire, Audrey moved to Byron Shire in 1987 to be with her son David, and daughter-in-law Maree. Maree is known to many from Red Ginger in Byron, and various cafes, including the Byronian and The Mex among others. In the early ’90s, Audrey founded the Byron Probus Women’s Club, where she ruffled a few feathers with her idea of a Probus Float for Byron’s last Oleander Festival. Audrey lives independently in a flat attached to David and Maree’s home in Suffolk Park. Photo Jeff ‘Inching Toward 100 Since 1886’ Dawson
Fletcher St cottage becomes a reality Paul Bibby Locals have raised $250,000 for the renovation of the Fletcher Street homelessness hub in Byron Bay, with half the money coming from local entertainment industry couple Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky. Despite the crowdfunding campaign being launched on the first day of COVID-19 lockdown in the Northern Rivers (August 9), locals still managed to dig deep, reaching the funding target with 10 days to spare. ‘With an increasing demand for our services, this one stop shop for Byron’s homeless is needed
Heilpern’s open letter to those down the rabbit hole ▶ p8
now more than ever,’ says Louise O’Connell, general manager of the Byron Community Centre.
lşſĕ ōşĈëōƆ ŕĕĕĎĶŕī IJĕōż ‘The impact of COVID-19, the housing crisis and job insecurity means that we are seeing more locals reach out for help every day. ‘Meals, showers and laundry in a safe place are a first step to providing wraparound services to address our community’s needs.’ Among those donating to the project were Byron fashion business, Spell, and family foundations including the Knappick and L & R
Are PCR tests accurate? Cosmos explains ▶ p11
Uechtritz Foundations. Mr Hemsworth and Ms Pataky agreed to match the community contributions of $125,000, bringing the total to $250,000 in the space of around three weeks. Mr Hemsworth told The Echo, ‘It is exciting that, as a community, we now have the opportunity to support a much-needed local resource for people experiencing homelessness’. He added, ‘A huge thanks to everyone involved in the relaunch of Fletcher Street Cottage, and the incredible work that has gone into getting it off the ground’. ▶ Continued on page 3
Show your support for the local business community and shop locally! ▶ p13 & 16–17