The Sydney-based operators of the Summer Centre are in negotiations with a tenant to replace Chinese takeaway Fresh Food Fast, which closed suddenly in recent weeks.
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Fresh Food Fast's after-5pm special - takeaway for as little as $5 for a plastic tub - was a magnet for hungry bargain hunters, but the Chinese restaurant at the front of the Summer Centre is no more.
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Although the Summer Centre website was still listing Fresh Food Fast as a tenant on Saturday, the shop is locked up, with black plastic covering the walls.
The plastic concertina doors reveal the bain-maries that contained stainless steel trays full of Chinese food have been removed, while the wooden structure of the benches remains in place.
"We are currently working through a replacement," said the portfolio manager at Rook Partners, Michael Tulk.
Rook Partners is the Narellan-based company that runs the Summer Centre.
It describes itself as "a boutique property advisory and management company".
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Mr Tulk said Rook Partners was looking at "a possible refurbishment of the front of the centre and entrance statement".
In shopping centre-speak, the "entrance statement" is basically the way the entrance to the shopping centre is designed and branded with signage and other elements.
Mr Tulk would not comment on why the Fresh Food Fast tenant had left, whether another food vendor would take over the site, and what plans Rook Partners had for attracting new tenants to empty shops.
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Butcher Steve Tamplin from Tablelands Meats in the Summer Centre expressed concern about the empty shops, and said he believed shopping centres do best with "local management".
However he stressed that he had received "good support from the owners" during COVID, and "had no grouch".
"I just think local management sees issues as they happen, but it's much harder for a fly-in, fly-out manager to be as effective as someone who is here all the time," Mr Tamplin said.
Other tenants in the Summer Centre include Choox charcoal chicken, Sugar Mill cafe, Dan Murphy's liquor, Suli Sushi and Super Dollar discount shop.
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