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Embarrassing Amount Of Famousness And Genius

I’m only posting this to inform you, esteemed reader, of updates in the day of A Beautiful City.

Called in as a last minute expert for Jamie Oliver, I appeared in Australia’s Sunday Times (Perth) to comment on the transformation of William Street due to Jamie’s Italian restaurant now there.

This was really embarrassing because it means I now have to humble-brag everywhere I go.

Here’s some of the content I gave to Gail Williams, the reporter:

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“Because Jamie Oliver represents divinity in food design, deserving local product is brought to nose-to-nose with the enormous design economy that Jamie Oliver represents – such as the artwork of Kyle Hughes-Odgers, which is in the restaurant and the surrounding precinct.”

“Jamie’s Italian contributes to the after 5 foot traffic profile in William Street.” 

“The City of Perth Economic Development Strategy 2010-2019 has an outcome of ‘15% growth in foot traffic in William Street from 2009-2014, to 7,894 people per summer weekday’ (page 11).” 

“We measure foot traffic in 9 Perth locations (not William Street), but can confirm that this footfall target appears to have been met”

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How do I really feel about it?

I’ve never eaten at Jamies Italian – never eaten at Italian restaurants at all*

I can cook tomatos – I can’t roll sushi.

The best thing about William Street design is not the retailers at the moment, it’s the shopfronts and pedestrian realm.

Jamie’s could well have been an independent restaurant, which would have been better.

And the steel chairs out the front are not good. Go wood. Steel is cold on your appendix.

We don’t have to pretend that super-tenants revitalise our streets.

But without their cash, landlords cannot proceed, usually.

Unfortunately, Jamie’s does not get a good reviews on Urbanspoon, hence my sour ending.  Jamie's Italian on Urbanspoon

You could say the people are disappointed.

*Except for Capri – but you go there to see a Nonna in her slippers.

Below: An example of an after-5 peak in foot-traffic.

Average hourly footfall for each day of the week in Albany Highway, East Victoria Park, Australia.

 

 

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