HORSHAM Plaza manager Allison Roberts believes changing the Melbourne Cup public holiday could be detrimental to the city.
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Horsham Rural City Council has reallocated the public holiday to Horsham Cup day for the next three years.
Mrs Roberts said the plaza’s preference was for the holiday to remain on Melbourne Cup day.
“It is the race the stops the nation, so the shops will be quiet on that afternoon regardless,” she said.
“We support Wimmera events and we understand the thinking behind council’s decision, but Friday is our main trading day and this will have a big effect.”
Horsham councillors believed the move would create an opportunity to boost the region’s economy.
Mrs Roberts said the idea that a Horsham Cup public holiday would be good for tourism didn’t make sense.
“The holiday will only effect Horsham residents, no one else, so it won’t bring people to the region because they will be working,” she said.
“Other people will take the three-day weekend and go away.
“For us as retailers, we don’t think this is a good outcome.”
Mrs Roberts said more than 50 per cent of the plaza’s customers were from outside the city.
“There will be a big element of confusion on Horsham Cup day because people will come here to shop and they will be left with a bad taste in their mouths when everything is closed,” she said.
“The businesses that do decide to open will have to cop the public holiday rates.”
Mrs Roberts said she was unsure what stores would open on the public holiday in the plaza.
“Many of our stores are national stores, so they will get instructions closer to the day about whether they will open or not,” she said.
Council’s decision to reallocate the public holiday was not unanimous, with Cr Mark Radford and mayor Pam Clarke voting against the decision.
Cr Clarke said she was very concerned about the effect the change would have on Horsham retailers.
“A lot of govenrment departments will still open on Horsham Cup day and close on Melbourne Cup day, so there will be a bit of confusion around when people are working,” she said.
“Friday is the busiest day for a lot of retailers in the city – if we close on Friday, people from outside Horsham will turn up to do their shopping and we won’t be open.
“It is also difficult for restaurants and cafes to prepare food if they are closed on Friday, open on Saturday and closed again on Sunday.”
The 2017 Horsham Cup will be on November 3.