The Australian Retailers Association’s (ARA) executive director Russell Zimmerman says that foot traffic at some shopping centres has fallen by up to 20% due to factors such as the bushfires and the coronavirus. He has raised the issue with the Shopping Centre Council of Australia’s executive director Angus Nardi, but says retail landlords are unwilling to provide rent relief to struggling tenants:
The retail sector is pushing back against powerful shopping centre landlords to demand rent cuts…
Mr Zimmerman said there were many shopping centres facing dwindling foot traffic after the bushfires and since the outbreak of the coronavirus that has robbed retailers of inbound Chinese tourists and local Asian communities.
