IGA Xpress Mascot - The terrible saga continues

NATIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES

In May 2019, a corner high rise apartment block in Bourke Street Mascot, near Sydney Airport, was condemned as an unsafe building when cracks and expansion joints were compromised only a few years after it was built. All tenants, including IGA Xpress were asked to vacate the building.

All residents who lived in the 120 units above the store never returned. MGA became involved from day one to facilitate help, assistance and support from the NSW Government to deal with this matter expeditiously given that families livelihoods are at risk.

Three years later and under extreme duress, store owners Ward Mellick and Scott Hill together with their families, owners and operators of the IGA Xpress in Mascot, have traded through in half the floor space they had prior to the disaster.

Both families entire livelihoods are invested in this once thriving food and grocery store that was the hub of the Mascot community. For three years the store has been surrounded by ugly hoarding and more recently, Scott and Ward, have had to erect further steel reinforcing to guarantee safety for shoppers and passers-by.

Thanks to Chris Lamont, NSW Small Business Commissioner, there is hope of providing some support and critical advice regarding this complex and challenging issue when dealing with the developers and owners strata committee.

It is complex with all responsible ignoring obligations or wishing to seek ways of minimising their costs and exposures, rather than fairly compensating the Hill and Mellick families for their losses. IGA Xpress Mascot may have 6 to 12 months left to trade in this premises which has almost half of its trading space removed owing to expansion joint issues within the store.

MGA wishes Scott and Ward the best in navigating through this complex and unsavoury matter.

Scott Hill and Ward Mellic with MGA’s Jos de Bruin centre