Community & Business
8 September, 2020
The GIL Is Going Good
Miller Street has been host to a lot more activity in recent months, especially with some COVID-19 restrictions easing. One contributing factor has been the success of Gilgandra Shire Council’s initiative The GIL.
Local business owner (of Gil News and Gifts) and stockist at The GIL, Caitlynn King said that the shopfront seemed to have attracted a lot more people into the main street.
“The GIL has been really good, we’ve got a couple of racks of clothes in there and we had a really good turn around in July and we’ll find out shortly how August went,” said Ms King.
“The biggest thing for us has been having the information centre down there. It’s brought heaps more people down the main street, it’s made a huge difference.
“I’ve had caravaners and things like that tell me how much they like it as well, they pull up out the back and then they wander down the street and buy lunch.”
Gilgandra Shire Council general manager
David Neeves echoed Ms King’s sentiments.
“With the visitor information centre in Gilgandra’s main street, along with the caravan parking and dump point access behind the shops, there has been a great number of caravaners and travellers stopping in our main street.
“The impact has been great to see as daily we see the parking spots behind the shops filled, and visitors walking and stopping in the variety of our local stores,” said Mr Neeves.
The GIL now houses around 40 stockists and their products, with a large variety of items from home wares to plants. Mr Neeves said that had the building stayed empty following the departure of Target, the outlook in the main street may have been very different.
“Our visitors are experiencing a friendly and open welcoming as they stop in our town,” said Mr Neeves. “It has really allowed staff, volunteers and our local businesses to be able to show visitors what Gilgandra has to offer.”
Construction and conversion of The GIL building into the new library and community hub is set to start next year.
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