Provide more diverse hospitality and retail options.
What you told us
You told us that increasing the capacity and diversity of the hospitality industry would be an important way of reinvigorating the area now and in the future. You would like initiatives that encourage more cafés, restaurants and bars to enhance food and night-life offerings in the Docklands neighbourhood.
You said that you would particularly like access to a greater variety of local and fresh foods. You are especially enthusiastic about the idea of having a fish market in the area.
“A larger range of fresh food would be amazing. We live by the water; can we have a seafood market?”
“Something that draws people here, great restaurants, great bars, Central Pier back, fresh food like a classic French market.”
“Fantastic dining experiences. Right now, Docklands is over-sized empty restaurants, empty shop fronts and an area where the authorities have effectively forgotten about. Embracing artists and restaurants would change it for the better."
What we’re doing
Through our Business Precinct Program 2021-25 we provide annual financial support to help precinct trader associations improve the look and feel of their areas, deliver local activations and marketing and promotion campaigns.
We provide a range of support for businesses including: grants, mentoring, workshops, extended outdoor dining initiatives, regular newsletters, research and data sharing.
We continue to strengthen Melbourne's economic recovery, including through precinct and shopfront activation, delivery of an enhanced business concierge service and support for the night-time economy.
Our Community Food Relief Plan 2021-2025 commits to improving access to food and food relief services, and to investigating opportunities for pop-up markets in our local neighbourhoods.
Our Community Food Guide is a resource for community agencies and anyone in the community who needs information on how to access affordable, fresh and healthy food.
Updates
October 2023
- We’re supporting Docklands Chamber of Commerce with funding for business development initiatives, consumer advertising, marketing and promotion campaigns and local activations that promote the Docklands trader area to visitors.
- Our small business grants program supports new businesses to get started and existing businesses to expand and grow. This year we have a special focus on supporting small businesses that enhance the city’s vitality by increasing the occupancy rate of shopfronts across the municipality.
- Since the Shopfront Activation Program began in September 2021, there have been a total of 67 improvements across Carlton, CBD and Docklands, with 19 of those being in Docklands.
- Our Business Concierge team had 8089 contacts with business across the City of Melbourne between February and September.
February 2023
- Since the Shopfront Activation Program commenced in September 2021, there have been a total of 66 activations across Docklands, Carlton and the Melbourne CBD. In Docklands there have been 18 activations (14 currently open, 2 opening this month and two closed) across retail, creative and professional services sectors.
- We’ve launched the Melbourne Economy Snapshot, a free seasonal activity guide designed to help businesses make data-led decisions by understanding Melbourne’s new rhythm.
- The first edition shows a sky-high December, with a record $1.1b spent across the city. Friday and Saturday remain the busiest days in Melbourne, while our night-time economy continues to flourish. Delve into the nitty gritty and explore weekday, weekend and night-time activity.
- Dusk 2 Dawn applications were open throughout November and December. Applications are currently being reviewed, with successful activations commencing in May.
- The City of Melbourne’s social enterprise grants program supports social enterprise businesses to thrive in Melbourne. The program supports startups and existing enterprises which are expanding or developing new products or services with a distinctly social purpose. Applications are currently open and close at 2pm Friday 10 March 2023.
- Between October 2022 and January 2023 our Business Concierge service have had 5000 interactions with businesses across the municipality. The range of enquiries have been simple support requests over the phone and email, face to face interactions and supporting new businesses in their start up
- The Christmas Collective program is an initiative as part of the Christmas Festival. One of the objectives is to increase visitation and spend supporting the economy. A total of $74,726.00 in funding was allocated to 15 businesses/groups to deliver an event or activity.
- To support local businesses, we lifted the holiday spirit with our Christmas Decoration program, including the Melbourne CBD, East Melbourne, Carlton, Docklands, Southbank, North Melbourne and Kensington.
- Docklands and Carlton have been focus areas in recent years from both a decoration and programming content perspective. Both neighbourhoods had key programming content delivered as part of the 2022 Program - Docklands Maze and The Carlton Roller Rink. The CBD and the river’s edge in Southbank remains a focus with regards to driving visitation and connection to the city’s core retail and hospitality offering.