Margaret River looks at the challenges facing retail

“It’s not just retailers that are finding it challenging in the South West, there are many other businesses that don’t rely on passing trade that have expressed concerns about their business finding it challenging,” Mrs Hannan said.

“Retail and consumer trends have changed and require a digital first focus, thinking more creatively with outstanding customer service and creating an excellent customer experience to encourage consumer spending. 

“Our town relies heavily on tourism, while we still have plenty of visitors coming to the region there are less and their spending behaviours are changing.”

Mrs Hannan said steps to reduce retail rents – including the City of Fremantle’s proposal to impose higher rates on commercial landowners with long-vacant properties – was only a factor in a larger discussion between businesses and property owners.

“Rent rates aren’t the sole cause of the problem, charging commercial landlords higher rates for their shops and offices being vacant for more than 12 months has the potential to financially cripple landlords that are genuinely making every attempt by offering attractive terms to secure a tenant for their property,” she said.

Despite the ongoing concerns over the future of retail in a number of South West towns, the MRCCI said the upgrades to the Busselton Margaret River Regional Airport would be a “game changer”.

“It will attract more visitors to our region by making it more accessible to overseas and interstate visitors.

“We anticipate that this would also alleviate the reliance on peak season for retailers and accommodation providers.

“The chamber has held some digital-ready workshops to encourage businesses to improve their online presence and give them the skills necessary to use these platforms effectively.”