Business owners have hit out at a decision to cancel a popular festival in Fremantle’s west-end precinct.
The Artisan Store owner Rowena Mitchell told PerthNow the council’s decision to cancel the Annual Easter Westend Weekender was a “detrimental blow” to businesses along High Street.
In an email circulated to traders, the council cited a lack of “time, resources and budget” available for the event.
Ms Mitchell said she would lose her biggest trading weekend after Christmas.
“When the street closes and we don’t have anything going on, we literally become a ghost town,” she said.
“We’re basically just closed off with no incentive for traffic to walk our way.
“So we’ll have a non-trading weekend.”
The Easter Westend Weekender was held for seven years on the same weekend as the International Street Arts Festival, which will run this year from March 29 until April 1.
While the Westend Weekender was originally run by the now-dissolved Fremantle Business Improvement District Group, Ms Mitchell said she had taken the lead to organise the event after the BID wound up in 2018.
“When the Fremantle BID stopped, we took up the running of it,” she said.
“Council really didn’t do much because they were already closing the streets (and) the National Hotel already had security.
“Basically we just joined in … I did all of the coordinating and organising.”
An owner at High Street fashion and homewares store Common Ground Collective told PerthNow the decision was disappointing.
“The festival encouraged a lot more foot traffic, people were able to wander and explore the retail,” they said.
“I definitely feel like it will make it a very quiet weekend of trading and the reasons behind it are vague, that there’s no budget.”
The business owner said they would like to find a “middle ground” for the festival and participate in “some kind of” street activation.
But a City of Fremantle spokesperson told PerthNow there would still be opportunities for businesses-led street activation and a road closure would continue from Market Street to Pakenham Street during this year’s FISAF.
“As with all FISAF road closures, we welcome and encourage businesses to engage with the festival by extending the business footprint into the area of the sidewalk/street directly in front of the storefront, via our Extended Trading Permit process,” they said.
“This gives each business an equal opportunity to attract festivalgoers. We have invited Ms Mitchell to participate in this opportunity across the three days of the road closure (Saturday, Sunday and Monday).”
They said that a budget for the Westend Weekender was needed to provide staffing and logistics during the event period.
“The Westend Weekender was a project run and funded by the Fremantle BID, however, this project is no longer in operation,” they said.
“Following a review of last year’s event, further engagement with High Street business owners and consideration around the time, resources and budget available for this year’s event; we decided not to progress with an artisan market over the 2024 Easter weekend.”