AU Melbourne Market Epping site

Concerns over safety and unfinished store fitouts have led to the scheduled 3 August Melbourne Market move from Footscray to Epping being pushed back to 31 August.

Victoria’s minister for major projects Jacinta Allen and Victorian minister for agriculture Jaala Pulford said in a joint statement that a “small number of market tenants have been unable to complete their store fitouts in time for Monday’s scheduled opening”.

“After consultation with the 80 per cent of tenants ready to move we have been assured that a delay to the opening date will not adversely impact them, and that they are happy to work to an August 31 opening date.”

The announcement follows Melbourne Market authority’s chairman Steve McArthur confirmation that the move would indeed go ahead this Monday, but representatives from Fruit Growers Victoria and the Vegetable Growers Association had voiced their concerns over the move date.