THE safety of shoppers, car parking and Wodonga's redevelopment are among the key issues shaping the future of retailing in Albury, a new report has found.
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The Albury Retail Development Strategy 2015 to 2025 has been commissioned by the Albury Council and will be presented to a committee meeting on Monday night.
It assesses the outlook for the Albury CBD as well as Lavington and Thurgoona.
The Essential Economics-authored report predicts retail spending will rise from $1.6 billion this year to $2.4 billion in 2035.
Nine issues, based on feedback and surveys, were highlighted as crucial to the future of shopping across the city.
Safety was listed as No.1 with the report stating "a number of local residents have indicated that perceived safety concerns would prevent them from visiting retail areas after hours and from visiting certain locations".
The report states "Albury should focus on being known as a ‘clean, safe and friendly’ place, and if even one of these ideals is compromised the retail sector will be negatively impacted".
Internet competition and car parking were also flagged, with the report noting the "perception exists within the community that the car parking available within the Albury CBD is inadequate".
The redevelopment of Wodonga's CBD showed "it is important that Albury does not become complacent, and remains proactive in attracting investment and staying relevant to customers".
Tired anchor tenants such as Myer, Kmart and Coles were highlighted with a lack investment meaning "these stores may experience a reduced ability to draw customers from across the wider region".
The need for more investment in CBD fringe areas, Lavington and Thurgoona was also nominated as a concern.
Fashion retailer Country Road was named the retail chain most lacking in Albury by survey respondents.
Others mentioned included department store David Jones, hardware Masters and furniture retailer Ikea.
Suggestions for improving the shopping experience in Albury included a collective customer loyalty program and a collective online marketing and promotions approach.
The consultant's top 10 ideas to increase expenditure in Albury included more pop-up shops in fringe areas, greater investment by shopping centre owners and attracting more national and international events.
Spending would also be boosted in Albury and Lavington by addressing safety concerns through measures such as security cameras and lighting, the report forecast.
