A great market atmosphere adds a new destination to shopping in Boundary St
Boundary St markets organiser Fred Drake is praying for a break in the rain as the markets enter their third weekend.
Last week’s high temperature and humidity saw crowds thin out a little in the afternoon but the stall holders remained optimistic, assuring Westender that “markets take time to build” and that “no-one controls the weather – not even Fred!”
The $3 parking on the Absoe property in Mollison St is a big drawcard for punters and assuming the rain clouds do break as the bureau predicts it could be a great place to do the Christmas shopping.
The markets are open from 7:00am until 2:00pm both Saturday and Sunday.
Scott McDonald of McGarrys oves the challenges that growth brings
Readers of Westender enjoy a regular breakfast with the South West Chamber of Commerce as we promote those who promote local business. Until now, I have failed to mention the bottles of wine that I have scooped each visit as the regular winner of the local door prize.
Scott McDonald from McGarry’s (featured in October) has banned me from dropping a Westender card into the lucky door prize.
The impact on the West End Trader’s Association has been somewhat more measurable. The membership of the organisation has more than doubled since we started promoting it regularly back in July. Welcome to the host of new members and we look forward to getting a similar increase in the traffic through your doors.
The local shop logo identifies participating businesses
As we turn our minds towards another Christmas, many people start to draw up the presents list.
This Christmas, why don’t you start by committing to make all your purchases locally?
It’s well documented that dollars spent locally stay in local hands longer, and bring greater benefits to local communities.
The task of shopping locally brings about an element of creativity. Who likes a voucher for which restaurant or bar? Can you source ethically made products? What about presents for the kids?
In West End the answer is: absolutely!
The Westender continues to focus on independent, local businesses that help you maintain the vibrant, unique community that makes waking up in West End so delightful.
West End continues to offer some of Brisbane’s most exciting retail options.
The benefits of buying locally continue to give far beyond 25th December, 2013.
Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
The local shop logo will readily identify participating businesses
The Local Shop logo will instantly identify participating businesses
For local businesses
Put this in your window think about opening early and late to make it easy for Westender readers to do their Christmas shopping on the way to and from work.
If mobs of youths start baying for David outside your shop, they are probably addicts of the 90’s BBC show League of Gentlemen. Send them down to the butcher for a ‘special package’.
CCIQ is well known for its advocacy on industrial relations
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) is an active lobby group for Queensland business. Its Industrial Relations resources are well respected and many a business owner has sworn that one unfair dismissal case avoided more than justifies the annual membership fee of $560 (5-9 employees).
Like all major business lobby groups, with the exception of the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA), CCIQ represents large and small business so the local chambers of commerce have flourished by focusing on the small to medium enterprises who can get swamped in a statewide industry body.
There were rumbles of discontent, then, when CCIQ announced an aggressive program to merge as many of the local chambers under its auspices as possible. A story published in Westender on October 17 got a swift reaction from the publicity team at CCIQ correcting some of the language that we had picked up at the Kenmore meeting that inspired that story.
Since then Westender has spoken to the presidents of four local chambers who are going to become satellites of CCIQ Central, none of whom are concerned that the CCIQ now controls their boundaries and their membership.
The consensus is definitely that the fears of a CCIQ takeover are ‘paranoia’. Let us hope that the founder and long-term CEO of Intel was not correct when he said that he lived by the adage, “Only the paranoid survive.”
John English and Simon Gallaher and cast will star alongside Julie Anthony for Harvest Rain next year
Exactly twenty years ago, Brisbane theatre company La Boite graduated from the pro-am theatre groups dotting suburban Brisbane and went fully professional. This year Harvest Rain Theatre has made the grade, announcing their 2014 season with a stunning line up at QPAC.
First onto the boards is the musical GUYS & DOLLS from 20th of March 2014 with Daryl Somers (yes that one) alongside Stenlake & Angela Harding (recently adored in Oklahoma).
There will be five only performances of CATS staged at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in July starring Marina Prior. Followed by Monty Python’s Spamalot, the musical version of their famous Holy Grail movie. Spamalot will star Julie Anthony, Jon English and Simon Gallaher.
Harvest Rain Artistic Director, Tim O’Connor, said “Brisbane audiences love their musical theatre and Harvest Rain will be bringing them the very best in 2014. The best shows and the BEST of Australian Musical theatre talent.”
Wayne Lynch was a surfing legend when conscripted to fight in Vietnam
A surfing legend from the age of 14, Wayne Lynch became an outlaw for two and a half years to avoid fighting a war he did not believe in. Despite international acclaim, he has remained a recluse for many years, quietly building surfboards based on some of his 70s designs.
Five years ago, filmmaker Craig Griffin saw Lynch speak in Torquay. “Surfers are not renowned for being articulate but this guy is an exception.”
“He has disappeared into the forest and lived on his wits. He has rejected the corporate offers of fame and riches and become a recluse at the height of his fame. There is a frankness and greatness about him that is simply gripping.”
Four and a half years later, the film has played to sell-out crowds in surfing centres such as Torquay, Byron Bay, Hawaii, LA and New York. Brisbane audiences get their chance at the BEMAC cinema in Kangaroo Point on Thursday December 5th.
Westender caught up with Griffin on the road. I just had to ask him about the surfing scene in Manhattan.
“It’s a hipster scene. People take the subway to Long Island with their boards or further out to Montauk.” <heads to South Brisbane railway station.>
Tickets available at Trybooking – entry price includes food and a free drink
