Businesses across Melbourne are being encouraged to open later following new consumer research commissioned by the City of Melbourne.
The research showed strong demand from consumers to shop after usual business hours.
The research also revealed more than half of retailers surveyed supported a change to core trading hours to open from 10am to 7pm Sunday to Wednesday, and 10am to 9pm Thursday to Saturday.
As a result of the research, City of Melbourne has launched the Twilight Trade initiative which will educate and support businesses who wish to open later.
Businesses can register via the Australia Retailers Association with the initiative set to host online information sessions and also include a marketing campaign.
“Melbourne’s vibrant twilight and night-time economy has benefitted other industries and we want to make sure city retailers can also take advantage of that increased customer demand,” says City Activation Portfolio Lead Councillor Roshena Campbell.
“Entertainment spending – much of it after-hours – is up 60 per cent since 2019. We’re supporting our retailers to trade into the evening so they can also tap into this market.”
Twilight Trade will be supported by the Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund.
For more information and to register for the Twilight Trade, businesses can visit retail.org.au