jpp42 wrote:The problem with both of these facilities- the NSWRTM display and AHRS Bookshop - was their limited hours when Central is busiest - during commuting hours and at weekends. The NSWRTM shopfront wasn't even open Saturdays!
They are open on Saturdays, and some other days, such as when certain tour trains operate.
I am under the impression that it is no longer open at all. Been this way since before Xmas. I went past this evening and it looks "abandoned" inside, including signage that "exhibition now closed".
I did find it disappointing that ARHS did not open on Sundays being in a prime position like that. This "fear" of penalty rates ruins a lot of good businesses.
Preserving fire service history @ The Museum of Fire.
boronia wrote:
I did find it disappointing that ARHS did not open on Sundays being in a prime position like that. This "fear" of penalty rates ruins a lot of good businesses.
The ARHS shop has a passing trade plus enthusiasts, can't ever have said the same for the NSWRTM location, it just seems to have attracted people who thought it was a ticket office. I do agree with the comment that kids could have been better targeted, but would that would have helped it stay there in the end ?
boronia wrote:
I did find it disappointing that ARHS did not open on Sundays being in a prime position like that. This "fear" of penalty rates ruins a lot of good businesses.
It was tried and wasn't worth the effort.
Tony,
When I spoke to the manager he said it was only trialled for a few weeks, some years ago, before the Family Funday Sunday began. Retailers have to keep in mind that it takes a while to build up custom, plus even the Funday Sunday took quite a while to come to the popularity level it has now. The manager was also extremely dismissive of the idea that families would have any interest in coming to the bookshop. I found this disheartening. Did you see my comments earlier regarding appealing to multiple demographics? Why couldn't the bookshop think about how to expand their patronage?
Has been over a year since work commenced on this. Obviously hard to tell exactly what is going on behind frosted glass, but there appears to have been no action in recent months. Maybe is is ready to go, just waiting the arrival of Gladys to cut the ribbon...perhaps in that important week ending 28 March?
David10 wrote:Has been over a year since work commenced on this. Obviously hard to tell exactly what is going on behind frosted glass, but there appears to have been no action in recent months. Maybe is is ready to go, just waiting the arrival of Gladys to cut the ribbon...perhaps in that important week ending 28 March?
What work? Nothing has been done. It was just an excuse to kick the ARHS & RTM out.
Will the new booth being constructed on the concourse take the place of what was proposed for the old Heritage Central? I have noticed that for the past week there are lights on in Heritage Central but I don't see much has been done since the work on the floors. Does anypone have more info?
According to a sign on the door at the ARHS's Redfern headquarters, the bookshop will close this week and reopen in May on the Grand Concourse at Central. Good news, thought it was scandalous they were given the boot from there in the first place, IIRC they were told some bollocks by TfNSW about other prospective tenants wanting to pay more, only for it to then sit empty for years. But now all of the spaces are occupied, maybe it will be one of the empty shops on Eddy Avenue instead?
IIRC, the "Heritage Centre" (ARHS and RTM) was closed with the intention of setting up the Transport Information Centre there. Perhaps the attraction of commercial rent forced a change of mind, especially after the fire?
Preserving fire service history @ The Museum of Fire.
The Visitor Centre and Coach Station shop on the main concourse opposite Platform 1 has closed, coinciding with Murrays taking over the management of the coach bays. Presumably this is where the ARHS bookshop will go. Depending on the fit out, will probably be a bit less floor space than at Redfern and certainly a fair bit narrower than the previous shop in the old booking hall.
The baggage storage is till there in the n/w corner, but the "Coach Terminal" a bit further in has closed. No signage about it. I'm not sure what Murrays involvement will be, they still have there own office in Pitt St, but there seemed to be a lot of staff behind the counter this afternoon.
I thought the terminal handled bookings and loadings for Greyhound and PSC. not sure how it will work now.
Preserving fire service history @ The Museum of Fire.
Greyhound have a shop in Rawson Place. There was a sign outside the old Visitor Centre and Coach Station stating it was relocating, I think to 810 George Street.
On my first visit to Central in 4 months, notice that the ARHS has vacated it bookshop on the Grand Concourse, with the site being used as a Sydney Trains staff COVID-19 testing centre.
Not sure if they'll continue to have a Central presence in another location there, but their main research centre and bookstore and cafeteria is at
5 Henderson Rd. Alexandria. This is about a 10 minute walk from Redfern Station. Checked their website and it's now open Tues to Fri from 9.00am to 3.00pm. Usual Covid protocols to visit that are currently in place.