CHAPEL ST REVIVAL
While I spend a lot of my time running after my kids, I try to enjoy some “me” time. My husband and I used to have a pretty clear idea of fun: shop-till-you-drop on Chapel Street for the outfit we would dance the night away in later that day. From pacing up and down the strip to find the perfect dress to the endless summer nights spent at the many bars and clubs of Chapel Street and South Yarra, this was the place to be.
Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors, today’s Chapel Street nightlife and culture isn’t what it once was. Even before COVID-19 struck, business was down in the once-bustling High Street. In 2017, we began to see the rise in the vacancies we know all too well now, largely driven by the empty storefronts along Chapel Street. Now, we see vacancy on Chapel has “reached an all-time high of 16.7%, having quadrupled in the last (few) years” (Knight Frank Research). And in a post-COVID-19 world, things are even worse. The Chapel St Precinct Association’s annual report saw the hospitality sector decline from 29.1% to 26.5% (CSPA Annual Report, 2019/20).
After researching the economy of our beloved Chapel Street, something else jumped out to me. The annual report found that clothing is beginning to make way for food. Where apparel retail has been in consistent decline for the last few years (25.6% down to 21.6%), food retail has bumped up to 29.1% of the total number of shops along Chapel. This is an obvious indicator of changing consumer behaviour. Perhaps consumers are seeking more experiences over objects. I know it’s what we used to love. Fun will never go out of fashion.
I’m not simply looking through a prism of nostalgia. I have a real vision for the future of everything that Chapel Street can be. I say we pivot; we work with what we have and turn it into something great.
We know that Stonnington council is already investing in our beloved strip, but I’m worried it’s not enough. As a primary site for Melbourne’s liveability, Chapel Street deserves more. I think in order to rebuild our local economy and for the cosmopolitan High Street to truly thrive in this new world we are swiftly entering, we need to go all in.
But I’m not one to criticize without offering alternative solutions. So, here’s my vision. As consumers and residents, it’s been proven that we prioritise experiences over things, right? So why not experience Chapel Street? I’m envisioning a Chapel Street with a renewed sense of a hustling and bustling nightlife that focuses on local food and fun. Instead of the concrete jungle we currently have, let’s go green. Let’s bring people together, after so much time apart, by implementing social hubs with bench seats, and offer up a Victoria Night Market-style place-to-be on the other side of the river.
Let’s infuse Melbourne’s dynamic culture into Chapel too, with coffee on every corner, along with the multicultural food sensations that we are known for. For young and old, let’s rebuild Chapel Street’s culture into something we can all enjoy.
People used to travel from far and wide just to go to Chapel Street, a strip that historically burst with energy. It’s time to reclaim Chapel Street’s nightlife and culture. Let’s trade in the vacancies for vibrancy and restore our beloved fashion and social hub to its former glory.
Be the change.
