Business' 'nasty' clients causing mayhem

Business owners on Hamilton's Barton Street are up in arms over the kinds of clientele the Cash Converters store is attracting in the street and say action needs to be taken.

Managers of surrounding stores didn't want to be named citing safety issues but told Hamilton News that since Cash Converters moved from their Bryce Street location to Barton Street six months ago there have been numerous issues with litter, defecation and alcohol consumption outside the store.

"I've cleaned up vomit outside my store, on my window," said one shop manager. "The rubbish has definitely increased. I picked up a couple of dirty nappies," said another.

Five surrounding stores claim that on a daily basis large groups of people are loitering outside the Cash Converters store for an hour or more at a time.

"It's not the staff at Cash Converters, it's the nasty people who come to sell their stuff. They come in pyjamas even. And sometimes there's 30 people waiting out front, so we don't open our doors until they do," they said.

"They take up all of our car parks. One will go in while the others wait in the car. Sometimes there's loud music, sometimes there's drinking. We had to call the police just last week because there was a group of them drinking outside my shop. They were spitting on the footpath and yelling out at my customers. It was disgusting, and it's happening all the time."

Last week a fight broke out between a man and a woman outside the store and a staff member from a neighbouring store had to intervene. "He was going to hit her, it was terrifying," she said.

The Cash Converters premises and neighbouring stores The Importer, Bivouac, and the old Baby Factory store are all incorporated under a body corporate structure.

Secretary for the body corporate Bevan Coley said he is aware of the concerns and a meeting was held last week with all those involved to discuss the issues.

"I don't have a problem with the store itself. It's presented well. And I don't have a problem with the business model. But the surrounding stores have had issues with the antisocial behaviour of some of the Cash Converters clientele. The body corporate had a meeting in which these issues were raised and some changes were discussed to try and address some of these issues," said Mr Coley.

Although there was discussion of Cash Converters employing in-store security as a solution, staff members in surrounding stores aren't convinced the situation can be improved. "We all talk about it, all the surrounding shops, and we have all had enough. It's a shame for the street. You've got that high-end furniture shop and the rest down there and then you've got that [Cash Converters]. It's always going to clash," they said.

Hamilton Cash Converters franchise owner Jonathan Pettingill was unavailable for comment.