A proposal to investigate unrestricted retail trading hours in Scarborough will go before the City of Stirling council, but the State Government is not planning to come to the party.
Cr Tony Krsticevic wants the city to examine the potential benefits and pathway to having the Scarborough tourist precinct be classified as an “unrestricted daily trading” precinct.
Cr Krsticevic said at the September council meeting it would allow retailers to trade without the current restrictions and could attract more major retailers to Scarborough and increase activity in the beachfront precinct.
“Having unrestricted trading hours in Scarborough would encourage more large retailers to establish a business in and around the Scarborough tourist precinct, thus supporting an increase in local tourism, boost coastal business revenue, and provide greater convenience for local residents and visitors,” he said.
The proposal highlights Scarborough’s role as a major beach and entertainment destination, with Cr Krsticevic stating that visitors want access to retail services outside standard trading hours “such as early Sunday mornings or late weekend evenings”.
Cr Krsticevic believes longer retail hours could have flow-on benefits for businesses already in the area.
“Extended hours bring more people into the beachfront precinct,” he said.
“Nearby cafes, restaurants, and bars benefit from the extra visitors who stay longer in the area.
“Allowing stores to open according to customer demand rather than fixed State limits helps local shops maximise their revenue during peak summer and holiday periods.”
Cr Krsticevic used Sunday morning grocery shopping as an example of the current restrictions, saying that major supermarkets and general retailers in Scarborough must wait until 11am to open on Sundays.
“If a holidaymaker or local wants to buy groceries at 8am on a Sunday morning before heading to the beach, supermarkets cannot serve them,” he said.
Scarborough resident and ratepayer Amy Dawson supported the idea of earlier opening hours in the beachside suburb, especially on Sunday.
“Scarborough is already a vibrant suburb, with people coming together to enjoy the beaches, cafes and coastal lifestyle, and an 11am opening only adds to the congestion and flooding of people and traffic at an already busy time of day,” she said.
“Starting at 9am would spread activity more evenly, give people greater flexibility with their Sunday and help avoid that 11am rush.”
Ms Dawson, who has also lived in Sydney, said she has seen first-hand how an earlier start is beneficial.
“A 9am opening time in Perth, rather than the current 11am start, would make a lot of sense and bring us more in line with the eastern States,” she said.
“Having lived in Sydney, I’ve seen how naturally an earlier Sunday opening can fit into people’s weekends and lifestyles.”
Cr Krsticevic’s proposal also states Scarborough’s existing retail offering is impacted by metro trading restrictions.
“The beachfront is primarily built around hospitality, entertainment, and accommodation. However, its general retail presence is limited because of the metropolitan closing times,” his motion states.
Currently in the metropolitan area most major supermarkets — such as Coles, Woolworths and Aldi — are legally restricted to 11am to 5pm on Sundays, while smaller independent businesses, such as Good Grocer, qualify as a “small retail shop” and can legally open 24 hours, seven days a week.
A State Government spokesperson said “WA has the strongest economy in the nation” and they are “focused on maintaining that status so they can continue to provide quality jobs and business opportunities for Western Australians.”
“The Cook Labor Government has worked closely with major retailers and unions to progress significant reforms protecting staff, including tougher penalties for assaults on retail workers and our legislation to introduce Retail Barring Orders,” they said.
“Tthe Cook Labor Government has no plans to change Perth’s trading hours.
“Discussion around changes to trading hours should focus on the impact on retail workers and small business owners who would face greater uncertainty by a permanent extension in trading hours for larger businesses.”
Commerce Minister Tony Buti recently announced extended trading hours for the festive period and has warned shoppers to be wary of scammers as losses are set to double over the last two months of the year.
The council is expected to make a decision on Cr Krsticevic’s proposal at its October 20 meeting.
