End of the road for Kogarah business following M6 construction

The NSW Government has revealed that the opening of a $3.1 billion underground motorway will be delayed until the end of 2028 following the opening of two large sinkholes on a section of the tunnel in West Botany Street earlier this year.

Master butcher Pino Tomini Foresti announced this week that he will close his family business, Pinos Dolce Vita on December 31.

Pino has been operating at the business with his wife Pia and their children at 45 President Avenue, Kogarah since 1978, attracting customers from across Sydney.

But business has dropped by 70 per cent since the start of the M6 Stage 1 road works in 2021.

The M6 roadworks meant that the shops on President Avenue have lost all the parking spaces from Oakdale Avenue to Moorefield Avenue.

"We lost about eight to ten spaces plus the convenience of customers being able to park outside the front of the business," Pino said.

And following the opening of two sink holes in West Botany Street earlier this year, the completion date for the M6 construction works has been pushed back further.

"The deadline of 2028 is too long for us," Pia said.

"They have started to dig up the footpath outside the shop and put up orange barriers. People just don't want to come in. This has to be it. We have been telling our very good customers that we are closing. My husband and I are a bit numb at the moment but we are fighting to keep our spirits up. We thank the community for their support but the reality of the situation has taken its toll."

Savannah Spahich has also decided to close her business Dermal Boutique several doors down from Pinos in the new year.

"We have lost over 80 per cent of our clients because of the road works. They took away our parking and we lost our convenience," Savanah said.

"And now they have decided to dig up the footpath outside my business and they have chosen the busiest time of the year.

"I've put myself into debt hoping things would improve. People come here to relax but with jackhammers and constant heavy traffic we have lost our zen-like environment.

"We will have to close. I've just given three months notice."

President Avenue Fruit World owner Avtar Singh Dhaliwal said he has lost half his business since the roadworks started in 2021.

His business is at 60 President Avenue, across the road from Pinos and the Dermal Spa. But it is still feeling the ongoing effects of the M6 Stage 1 road works.

"They took away our parking outside in 2021 and we have lost our convenience," Mr Dhaliwal said.

"They put barriers up outside our shop for two years. President Avenue got down to only one lane and that just killed our weekends. We had about two years of this. We lost about 70 per cent of our business. We have parking for 14 spaces out the back of the shop but if they weren't there we would be gone."

Mr Dhaliwal said the road works have moved to the other side of President avenue but the traffic is still bad.

"I'm not going to close but I've lost a lot of money. I am just hoping that when they finally stop I will be able to get my customers back."

Transport for NSW said it will assess a claim from any business for loss of trade as a result of M6 construction.

"Transport for NSW thanks the community for its understanding and patience while important work on this major infrastructure project is completed. Most work on President Avenue will be completed in early 2025," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.

"Throughout the project, Transport and its delivery partner CGU have worked with the community to understand how to best mitigate the impacts of construction.

"The project team has been liaising with businesses most impacted by construction on a monthly basis to provide updates on upcoming work and potential impacts," the spokesperson said.

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