Small town offers payment to buyers who will keep shop open

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A pharmacy, a bakery and a butcher are the main- street staples in many small towns throughout the country. One town in Western Australia’s wheatbelt wants to make sure that tradition continues by offering a 20-thousand-dollar incentive to anyone willing to take over their cherished butcher shop.

Transcript

00:00The Pindgely Butcher Shop sits in the heart of the main street.

00:06Sandra and Morris Gait have been the owners of Quality Meats for close to 30 years.

00:10Didn't know where Pindgely was when we first moved, had to get the map out and have a quick

00:16look.

00:17They've made the tough decision to sell up.

00:19It's going to be hard to step away from it, but the time's come where I need to scale

00:25back a bit.

00:27The butcher shop is such an important part of this town, the Shire has decided to offer

00:31$20,000 to whoever takes over.

00:35I think that's money very well spent and I think the community here agrees, especially

00:41with the importance of the butcher and having occupied shops on the main street.

00:47They're worried the closure will lead to fewer customers on the main street.

00:52So it's very important to keep all of the businesses that we have, as well as attract

00:59other new ones.

01:00The Shire has offered incentives to other businesses, including the local florist, now

01:05operating from the old courthouse on a dollar a year lease.

01:09Horse-drawn carriages currently aren't in demand, but the Shire is hopeful initiatives

01:13like with the butchers and the florist will mean other businesses are able to thrive.

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