By XAVIER SMERDON
A WYNDHAM icon could be lost forever thanks to flagging local business and the pressure of the new fire services levy.
Barry Main has placed his beloved Bridge Hotel up for sale, along with the adjoining blocks on Watton and Synnot Streets in Werribee, the largest privately owned block of land in the Werribee CBD.
The hotel is thought to have been built during the 1920s but Mr Main said he may now be forced to sell it to whichever developer can pay the most.
“When I purchased this block my plan was always to try and convince a developer to do something grand for Wyndham,” Mr Main said.
“I’ve been here for nearly 40 years and I’ve never known business to be this bleak.
“Now I will probably need to split it up and sell each block separately, defeating the purpose of buying it in the first place and paying rates for 10 years.”
Mr Main said he had plans to build something even more iconic than his hotel on the land he owns, with his ideal building being a mix of hospitality, commercial and residential and with around 500 on-site car parks.
“I could get a lot more money and it would be a lot easier if I split it up, but I wanted to bring more hope and vibrancy to the area,” he said.
The straw that broke the camels’ back for Mr Main was the recently reviewed fire services levy.
His previous levy was around $1000 but it has since increased to $7000.
Businesses are now required to pay 11.5 cents per $1000 of their capital improved value while homes are required to pay 11.5 cents per $1000.
However in Metropolitan Fire Brigade areas the levy will be less with business paying 60.7 cents and homes paying 6.9 cents.
Wyndham CEO Kerry Thompson said that over the next financial year the council would collect about $17.2 million from ratepayers through the levy.
The full amount will be passed on to the State Government.
Just a week after he received his new levy amount one month ago Mr Main raised a board advertising the sale of his property.
Coupled with his land tax of $38,000, Mr Main, 70, is finding it difficult to keep his business afloat.
“I was staggered when I got my new levy. I haven’t met one business owner in Werribee that wasn’t shocked by the new system,” he said.
“I struggle. I work 13 to 14 hour days, 364 days a year.
“We’ve gone from 20 or 30 staff to just employing family.”
Several other business owners in Werribee shared their disappointment with the new fire services levy but only Mr Main was willing to go on the record.
He said neither the local, State or Federal Governments had shown any sympathy towards the struggles being faced by business owners.
Star contacted the State Government for comment but did not receive a response before deadline.
