SYDNEY, 18 MARCH 2020

Frasers Property Australia has today announced that the planned opening of Easter Creek Quarter, a brand new 10,000 sqm retail centre in Western Sydney, will not proceed tomorrow. 

Eastern Creek Quarter (ECQ) was due to open tomorrow, Thursday 19 March at 9am, anchored by a 3,800 sqm full-line Woolworths supermarket plus 43 additional retail stores.

Woolworths advised Frasers Property today that, given an extraordinary level of demand for groceries across the country in recent weeks, they will temporarily convert Woolworths Eastern Creek into an online store and will not be open to the public – continuing to operate, but only to service online deliveries. This decision will allow Woolworths to help more people get access to the products they need, and by prioritising online orders Woolworths will be responding to the most vulnerable in the community first.

Because of this, Frasers Property has made the decision not to open Eastern Creek Quarter at this time. 

“To open a neighbourhood shopping centre without the anchor tenant creates an unsustainable trading environment for the other retailers, even in usual circumstances. In these extraordinary circumstances, to open would not be in anyone’s best interests”, said Peri Macdonald, Executive General Manager Retail, for Frasers Property Australia.

“Eastern Creek Quarter was completed, stocked and staffed with enthusiastic retailers and ready to provide the goods and services this community needs, so this decision has not been taken lightly.

“However, we recognise that these are extraordinary times and we acknowledge Woolworths’ unique responsibility to the Australian community at large, and the difficult decisions that may arise from that responsibility,” says Mr Macdonald.

“We look forward to opening the centre in partnership with Woolworths and our magnificent community of ECQ retailers at a more appropriate time.

“Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic is a highly fluid event affecting retailers and communities across Australia. We will continue to monitor the local situation, remaining ready, willing and able to open this valuable community asset as soon as possible,” added Mr Macdonald.