MORE than 300 people have joined a push to save the Garfield Berry Farm, joining a Facebook group in support of the store.
Last week VicRoads contractors moved in to remove the berry farm’s signs along the Princes Highway, saying they were illegal.
The Facebook group, ‘Save Garfield Berry Farm’ set up by store employee Sharon Delosa has received more feedback than the business could ever imagine.
“I set it up because I am an employee at the store and if it closes I lose my job,” she said.
“I have a three-year-old daughter and it’s important that I keep my job.”
Ms Delosa said it was a shame that a business that had been in Garfield for 30 years could be forced to close because there were different rules for big business.
“They treat me like family there, it’s not just a job,” she said.
“They have worked so hard to get the business to where it is and to lose it because of VicRoads’ failure to have a heart is just sad.”
Ms Delosa said business had already slowed down and was not looking good after a quiet weekend.
Without the signs she said many people who would normally stop missed the entrance to the store and while some kept going, others stopped and reversed back to the entrance.
“I personally witnessed people overshooting the driveway and asked them whether they had trouble seeing the sign and they said yes,” she said.
“That’s more dangerous in my eyes than having a sign at the side of the road.”
Anyone who wants to lend their support to the berry farm can join the group by going to Facebook and searching for ‘Save Garfield Berry Farm’.
– Melissa Meehan
