By Mitchell Clarke
A “cluttered” Berwick $2 shop has reportedly taken to selling supermarket pasta and rice in a bid to be classified as essential.
Uncle Buck’s at Eden Rise Village, which sells giftware, toys and stationery, reopened for business over the last two weeks, despite having been previously closed during the Stage 4 lockdown.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), food and liquor stores are permitted to open under the Second Step of the Roadmap.
Permitted stores include supermarkets, grocery stores and pet stores. News agencies are also permitted to open.
A Narre Warren woman, who didn’t want her name published, was shocked to see the store was allowed to operate.
“They’re using the premise that the Reject Shop can operate so they can too,” she said.
“There’s no way you could properly sanitise the shelves and there’s absolutely no chance of social distancing in there. It’s so cluttered, there are products everywhere.”
A sign on the shop’s counter states “essential items only”, but the concerned shopper claims people were still purchasing non-essential products.
“No one is going in to buy food from there when they can go next door and buy it from Aldi which is a couple of shops up,” she said.
“Does that mean if a hairdresser put a rack of food in their salon, they could be considered a convenience store?
“I cannot understand how centre manager has allowed them to get away with this.”
An Eden Rise Village spokeswoman said tenants were required to comply with laws and regulations at all times.
“We are aware that both the DHHS and Victoria Police have attended Eden Rise Village over the past two weeks to ensure that all tenants are complying with Covid-19 restrictions, and that no action has been taken,” she said.
“Eden Rise Village Centre Management continues to work closely with all of our retailers as restrictions change. The health and safety of our customers and retailers remains our number one priority, and as such, we are in regular communication with retailers.”
The Gazette understands numerous reports were made to Narre Warren Police Station, however a Victoria Police spokeswoman said: “We don’t comment on allegations of specific breaches of the CHO directions.”
Uncle Buck’s was contacted for comment.
