Local business owners have blamed exorbitant rent prices for Kyneton’s vacated shopfronts, which have been visible in the town centre for the past two and a half years.
On a small stretch in High Street, 12 commercial buildings are empty or have ‘for lease’ signs displayed on them, and a further store is set to shut down within two months.
Fiona Brownbill was the owner of Alice in Fabricland, a fabric store that operated on High Street for six years. She said the new reality of businesses unable to keep their doors open was disheartening and the building she operated in had doubled in rent since she closed down.
“I was paying around $22,000 per year, perhaps a little bit more. They’re asking for $45,000 now,” she said.
“Unless you’re a big business, you have no place here on High Street. Basically, the rents are so big that if you’re a small business, you can’t afford to rent in this street.”
Some sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said rent prices for shops had tripled.
Andrew and Geraldine Ramselaar, owners of Kyneton Shoes and Accessories on High Street, have the only store of its kind in a 30km radius and it’s relied upon by locals in need of footwear. They agreed with Brownbill’s statement and said High Street had always been the place for locals to go, not tourists. For them, rent has always been their barrier to diversifying the business.
“Shops here have been vacant for a year, two years, three years. What’s to stop council from getting in contact with the landlords? They know who they are because they’re sending them rates notices every quarter. Why don’t they get in contact with the landlord to say, ‘hey, we noticed your shop’s been empty for X period. What’s the plan? Is there an issue? Is there anything we can do to help you?'” Andrew said.
“We spoke with a real estate agent but they won’t return our phone calls anymore. They just stopped.
“We spoke to Mary-Anne Thomas [State MP] and she said it was not a state government issue and to go and speak to council.
“Council’s business development team’s response was to talk to a volunteer organisation for help. The council has got no idea what to do.”
In Victoria, councils don’t have authority to dispute a commercial lease agreement on behalf of small businesses and anyone wanting to do so must go through the state government’s Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
In a statement to the Midland Express, Rebecca Stockfeld, director of planning and environment with Macedon Ranges Shire Council, said High Street had the highest number of vacancies in Kyneton.
“Council acknowledges concerns about commercial lease costs and vacancies in Kyneton, and across the shire more broadly.
However, rental prices and leasing decisions are determined by private landlords and market forces, not council,” she said.
“Our latest survey shows a decline in retail vacancies from nine per cent in November 2023, to 6.2 per cent in February 2025.
“High Street in Kyneton had the highest number of vacancies (six) among its three main streets.”
The Midland Express has confirmed this figure is double and that the data from council only references buildings for lease, excluding vacant shopfronts not currently on the rental market.
The new reality for small businesses and vacant shops in Kyneton comes amid incoming projected competition from a McDonald’s and Bunnings Warehouse franchise.
Multiple real estate agents were contacted but didn’t respond to requests for comment.
