Ask Seta Berbari what is the main issue for business in the centre of Campbelltown and without hesitation she replies: “One hundred percent, it’s parking.’’
And of course she would know because for years now she’s been running her own business, a café called Seta’s in Dumaresq Street.
Now, as a member of the Community First Totally Independent Party, she’s a very good chance of being elected to Campbelltown Council and do something about the parking issue.
Ms Berbari, who is number three on the ticket after current councillors Josh Cotter and Warren Morrison, says the lack of parking in the centre of Campbelltown is a major problem for business operating along Queen Street and Dumaresq Street.
“It’s so bad I have had a few of my team quit because of the parking – they get fined, so they leave because there’s nothing you can do about it,’’ she says.
“I am one of those people myself, I have got so many fines.
“The fact is that there’s no parking in the Campbelltown CBD, not just for local business, but even for people to go and park.
“So people leave because there’s no parking.
“We need more parking and maybe for business owners a permit system, even if it’s a paid one,’’ says Ms Berbari.
A Campbelltown resident for 21 years, Seta Berbari also laments the decline of our main street, Queen Street.
“I would love to see Queen Street to be nicer and safer,’’ she says.
“When I moved here 21 years ago my husband took me down to Queen Street to show it to me and it was so nice – now I don’t like walking there.
“Last few years council have been very active and there’s been a lot of money spent on it, but not in a beneficial way.’’
Ms Berbari says council needs to sit down with business and come up with a better plan to return Queen Street to its glory days.
“I would love that if we could bring Queen Street back like it was in the old days.
“The main street is still important,’’ she says.
