EXCLUSIVE Fresh chaos looms for $1billion Sydney Fish Market: Im getting out
EXCLUSIVE Fishmongers are threatening to take their business elsewhere as the agonising wait continues for a Sydneys new fish market touted as the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.
EXCLUSIVE
Fishmongers are threatening to take their business elsewhere as the agonising wait continues for a Sydneys new fish market touted as the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.
The $1billion taxpayer-funded Sydney Fish Market is due to open in November but has been hindered by rising construction costs since work began in 2021 with ongoing design disputes also causing delays.
The markets 38 tenants have previously expressed concerns that the new building will not have enough power to meet their refrigeration needs.
But, when Daily Mail Australia visited the current site, all of the fishmongers refused to speak to the media, saying they were not allowed to give comment.
Merchants are not official spokespeople for Sydney Fish Market and we request them to refer media enquiries to us to manage, a spokesperson confirmed.
Eventually, one NSW fish retailer and president of the Master Fish Merchants Association, Kerry Strangas, agreed to lift the lid on traders concerns.
The 67-year-old, who has been selling at the market for 49 years, said the disquiet among fish merchants has reached boiling point, with some of the current tenants at the old site yet to sign leases for the new one.
Theres one bloke that holds a few leases down there, he hasnt signed on. Another one is a friend of mine who is very disillusioned to the point where he says "Stuff it, Im getting out", he told Daily Mail Australia this week.
Fish retailer and president of the Master Fish Merchants Association Kerry Strangas (pictured) said fishmongers have grown disillusioned at the prospect of a new Sydney Fish Market
At least two key fish merchants have yet to sign their leases for the new market building (pictured) according to one retailer who spoke to
The $1billion project (pictured) has been hindered by design disputes and cost blowouts
Infrastructure NSW confirmed all 23 additional retail leases for new tenants have been executed but deferred to Sydney Fish Market on current tenants.
The market did not answer Daily Mail Australias query about merchants being disillusioned or comment on reports that most traders have not signed new leases.
But, despite the unrest among traders, Mr Strangas said he is looking forward to a new building due to the poor state of the existing one, but he doesnt believe it will open this year.
If it was any other building in the CBD, it would have been condemned and closed down. Theres too many things wrong, he said.
Theyre all little trivial things, but they add up to making the merchants experience down there unpleasant.
I believe that the move will be made when the place is ready [but] I still dont believe its going to be this year.
The roofing bloke has gone under. Theres a plumber ready to go under.
Infrastructure NSW confirmed all 23 additional retail leases for new tenants have been executed but deferred to Sydney Fish Market on current tenants
Pictured is a rendered image of what the new Sydney Fish Market will look like
Sydney Fish Market (pictured) was built as a wholesale fish market in 1966, and moved from the Haymarket area to its current location at Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont
Sydney Fish Market was built as a wholesale fish market in 1966, and moved from Haymarket to Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont, in the citys inner west.
A few of us are really looking forward to [the move]. We got to accept what weve got and try and make the best of it, Mr Strangas said.
Mr Strangas said tenants are concerned about the design of the new building, namely the parking.
Theres a height and length restriction where trucks over a certain size cant make a certain bend to get down to the car park, he explained.
The car park, he said, is the floor below the actual auction floor which is also going to be a drama.
He said moving fish off the auction floor into five lifts and down to loading docks on a separate level will prove difficult.
Infrastructure NSW has said it is meeting all of the requirements that the Sydney Fish Market company asked for and is unaware of any issues regarding height restrictions.
A spokesperson said the government body held over 250 workshops with sub-tenants to understand their needs and refined the design of building.
The new Sydney Fish Market (pictured) is scheduled to open in November of this year
The new and old fish market are basically neighbours in Blackwattle Bay
Tourists and locals alike flock to the Sydney Fish Market to enjoy the premium seafood
Key issues raised include the movement of fresh produce around the new building, electrical capability, food code compliance and event spaces, they said.
Once completed, the market will lease the building under an agreement that the state government signed in 2019.
Mr Strangas said the fish merchants are also worried about extra costs they will face down the line when they move to the new building.
The current tenants will be able to have the same rent as they are paying now for another three or five years, he said.
Then itll revert to city commercial rates, which is a lot more than what theyre currently paying.
The market did not comment when asked by Daily Mail Australia if this was the case.
We do not comment on the opinions of unidentified traders, they said, in response to questions posed by this publication about another retailers claims.
Global construction giant Multiplex, which Infrastructure NSW contracted to build the new site, said it would not speculate on other companies.
Hyper escalation of construction costs has impacted the whole industry, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Multiplex has previously said it would welcome government support for struggling subcontractors.
Fish retailer Kerry Strangas (not pictured) said the current market space is unpleasant for merchants who work there
The project is expected to cost taxpayers $1billion (construction at the new site is pictured)
Sharvain Facades, which designed the new markets $200million wave roof, went into voluntary administration just weeks after laying the last tile
Last week, at least three other subcontractors have reportedly incurred losses of $1million, $6million and $7million over the course of the project.
Sharvain Facades, which designed the new markets $200million wave roof, went into voluntary administration just weeks after laying the last tile.
Infrastructure NSW said it is not aware of any other subcontractors associated with the construction of new Sydney Fish Market going into administration.
The spokesperson said construction will be completed in late 2025 when the new facility will be handed over to the Sydney Fish Market.
The budget has not changed since the project was announced, they said.
Sydney Fish Markets delayed financial statements are yet to be published but it will post an $8million loss in 2023-24 and has retained insolvency experts, sources told the Sydney Morning Herald.
It has previously denied trading while insolvent and insists it is financially viable.
A spokesperson for Sydney Fish Market said the company remains focused on preparing for trading from the new premises before the end of this calendar year.
They said the companys delayed financial statements will be lodged this month.