How bread loaf could save Souths club without poker machines

Sydney City Council was told last night the early morning sale of fresh milk and bread to customers from a supermarket being built within the club is critical to the viability of the building and the club's success.

The operators of the IGA supermarket, on the ground floor of the club in Redfern, said the early sale of fresh produce was critical to their business. The building developers want the council to allow it to open at 7am.

It is claimed that without the support of IGA as a keystone tenant the future of the entire development opposite Redfern Oval could collapse.

The issue before Council hinges on the opening hours for the supermarket.

Council officers have recommended the business be allowed to trade between 8am to midnight.

The supermarket chain said it must be allowed to open at 7am .

A spokesman for the development company Trivest, Mr Alistair Hood told the council meeting, chaired by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, IGA was a critical element to the building.

He said the rejection of fair and equitable trading hours had the potential to kill the supermarket and kill the Leagues Club.

South Sydney leagues Club Chairman Bill Alexiou-Huckler said the future of a Leagues Club without poker machines hinged on the approval of fair trading hours for the supermarket.

"If IGA do not get the go ahead for economical and viable trading hours the building will not go ahead," he said.

"It will be a mortgagee sale."

IGA spokesman Mr Andrews Karellas told the council customers want fresh bread and milk first thing in the morning.

"We need customers to survive, "he said.

South Sydney Football Club part-owner Mr Peter Holmes a Court said he was confident the Council and the developers could find a solution to the problem.

The Council will meet to discuss the application again on November 2.

[REDWatch – there are also a lot of readers comments at the foot of the Daily Telegraph page below about some of the issues]

Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/how-bread-loaf-could-safe-souths-club-without-poker-machines/story-e6frexnr-1225788571983