Daily London
Now she’s told 9news.com.au she’s just weeks away from being forced to shut down.
And help – if it ever comes – might just be too little, too late.
Becsi runs Pakenham Bulk Foods on Bald Hill Road in Pakenham, about an hour southeast of Melbourne’s CBD.
Sales plummeted when Big Build Victoria roadworks blocked off half the road in February last year.
They took another hit when the whole road was blocked a few months later.
“We’ve had a total 80 per cent decrease in sales from February last year till now,” Becsi told 9news.com.au.
The roadworks, which were supposed to finish by the end of 2025, are expected to drag out until the end of February and Becsi’s business won’t survive that long.
She doubts it will even last another month.
“We need immediate assistance, otherwise we will not last until the end of February,” Becsi said.
“And I know there’s other businesses in the area that are in the same boat as us.”
The roadworks and road closures have made it too hard for customers to reach stores like Pakenham Bulk Foods, so most just go elsewhere.
It’s left Becsi unable to afford new stock and struggling to cover crucial costs.
“We’re only just paying rent now, we don’t have any spare money,” she said.
She and a number of local businesses are also allegedly being chased for council rate payments they can’t afford.
Becsi and other Bald Hill locals spoke to A Current Affair last year about the devastating impacts the roadworks had had on their businesses.
They had hoped the segment would help them get compensation from Big Build Victoria or Cardinia Shire Council for lost revenue.
It’s been weeks since the segment aired. They’re still waiting.
“We’re getting no kind of relief or support,” Becsi said.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Councillor Brett Owen told 9news.com.au that while council is not a delivery partner on the roadworks project, he recognises local business owners’ frustrations.
“On behalf of our community and businesses, Council has continued to advocate to the State Government to manage and minimise construction disruptions and ensure access is maintained to reduce impacts wherever possible,” he said.
A Big Build Roads spokesperson told 9news.com.au, “we appreciate the community’s patience while the get on with more than $1 billion in upgrades to road and rail infrastructure in the area.
“We will continue to provide support to local traders during construction.”
They said the Pakenham roads upgrade will be complete in mid-2026 with the intersection near Pakenham Bulk Foods set to reopen in late February.
But Becsi’s business may not survive that long.
Without immediate financial support, she will have to cut her losses and close Pakenham Bulk Foods.
Becsi worries about what will happen to the handful of customers who are still relying on the discount store for affordable groceries.
“You’ve got people who are struggling with the cost of petrol and groceries in the general supermarkets, and they’ll come to us,” she said.
“Even if we do close down, something has to be done about it.”
More than 800 people have signed.
But if Becsi wants to take the issue to the Parliament of Victoria – which is her hope – she’ll need to create an official paper petition or digital e-Petition.
A paper petition needs more than 2000 signatures to trigger a debate in Parliament; an e-petition (alone or alongside a paper petition) needs 10,000.
And none of the Change.org signatures will carry over.
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