In blog posts I refer to it as the big green shed. In reality it's the Bunnings hardware chain. It has pretty well killed small local hardware stores because the sheer number of products it has in its very large stores.
There is no problem visiting Bunnings if you are in a motor car, but if you visit Bunnings in West Footscray by foot, it is dreadful. I visited the store yesterday by train for the second time, the store being right next to West Footscray Station. I stopped off at Footscray for a bite to eat and coffee.
The store is easier to visit by public transport than my local Bunnings in Port Melbourne. Last visit to the store, I ended up walking through the underground carpark to enter the store. This time, I was determined to find the main entrance. I did find an entrance from street level, but as I walked towards the sensor triggered electric doors, as I guessed they did not open.
The only way to enter was via the carpark. There weren't any indicators to pedestrians of where to enter the building. I looked at where people were moving in the vast carpark and worked out that those very distant figures were headed to the entrance, with a travelator to take you up to the store.
As I said, the car park is vast and was far from full, so cars travel very fast in the carpark. There aren't marked walkways for pedestrians.
The store has a railway station across the street, three bus routes with a stop near the station and there is lots of housing nearby, yet without a pedestrian entrance.
To not have a pedestrian street entrance is a disgrace, let alone one near passing public transport stops and the station and I am not sure how this was allowed. Did the local council, City of Maribyrnong, approve of this when the Bunnings store plan was presented?
Happy fourth of July to my US readers.
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The new Bunnings at Narre Warren is right on the highway not far from a bus stop so easy for me to get to. Same as you, first trip I walked around for awhile trying to find the entrance, until some kind person told me to walk through the car park.
ReplyDeleteThat's another outrage. Is the carpark half or fully underground?
DeleteMostly underground car park so not obvious that is the entrance. Seems to be the same set up as Footscray. I will write to Bunnings to complain
DeleteCopy and paste this in an email to the relevant council and follow up with several more. No pedestrian entrance or walkways is a disgrace and a danger.
ReplyDeleteThat is my intention River, City of Maribyrnong and to Bunnings, where I can only find a post box for contact. That will do.
DeleteI agree with River.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda. It is worth a little fight, even though nothing will immediately change.
DeleteOutrageous. Hope you follow this up.
ReplyDeleteI will indeed, Fun 60.
DeleteGood grief that is not at all good let alone safe Andrew.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't got a sign that says enter on our either, but I can understand that because the two stores we have in our city wouldn't be so much smaller than your stores.
It isn't great Margaret. People on foot maybe mineable, but still deserve respect.
DeleteWrite to the local council, write to the store chain owners. Not only is it less safe, they are going to lose business if people can't easily and safely get in by foot.
ReplyDeleteTP, I am writing, printed out to post to the council and the business.
DeleteIt is disgraceful that there is no pedestrian entrance. Car certainly has become king.
ReplyDeleteJB, that is what such companies think, but it is untrue and pedestrians deserve respect.
DeleteThat is normal here. We are not a country of walkers.
ReplyDeleteGood footpaths encourage walking. I think you are a bit short on those is places.
DeleteThat sounds unreal, Andrew. Letters to management will make you feel better. Good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes planning departments just think a little, I'd be happy.
DeleteThere are still far too many bunnings in Australian farmland so I am surprised that there are massive stores that sell bunnings. Do they sell the bunnings for meat or as pets? In my opinion, bunnings should never have been introduced in the first place. From your description it sounds like the design of the City of Maribyrnong superstore is based on a large rabbit warren.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you've confused bunnings with bunyips.
DeleteThe word bahnyip first appeared in the Sydney Gazette in 1812.[7] It was used by James Ives to describe "a large black animal like a seal, with a terrible voice which creates terror among the blacks".[8]
Pretty sure YP means bunnies, and not the Playboy type.
DeleteWe have lots of places like this. I do not frequent them.
ReplyDeleteThey are almost unavoidable here Jackie as they've killed off competition.
ReplyDeleteThat is awkward to have no pedestrian outside entrance.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's quite crazy, too.
DeleteIt's just plain wrong and should not be allowed.
DeleteI had to think about the big box stores around me. There's are sidewalks, but you still have to traverse a humongous parking lot to get to the stores.
ReplyDeleteIt's a commercial decision, and it probably works financially. However, that is what we authorities for, to enforce proper pedestrian entrances a built.
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