Workshop about Darby Street outdoor dining and 30km/h speed limit trial 'positive', says Lone Clothing Co owner Mitch Samways

City of Newcastle organised the online workshop on Tuesday to discuss the Streets as Shared Spaces trial, which will start in October and run for six months. Council was awarded a $500,000 NSW government grant for the project.

The trial includes an extended footpath from Sanctum to Goldbergs, a reduced speed limit of 30km/h and relocation of parking spaces.

Mitch Samways, who owns Lone Clothing Co on the western side of Darby Street, said he went into the meeting hesitant about the proposal, but came out feeling optimistic.

IN THE NEWS:

"I was a little bit hesitant about the whole thing in regards to the whole street getting activated rather than just the main cafes and stuff," he said.

"But it was good to see that there's a flow from one end to the other. They've thought about it and they're going to use up every single bit of Darby Street.

"It was just good to be able to give feedback and hear about every idea that they had."

Some of those ideas included a street party at the end of the year and refurbishment of the Darby Street headphones courtyard, which was the brainchild of the late Kevin Coffey.

"It's great that they're willing to keep that legacy alive," Mr Samways said.

A pedestrian crossing will also be installed near the courtyard to help with street flow, while there will be more public art and murals and an extended dining platform over seven existing car parking spaces.

Jack Webster, who works at a local eatery on Darby Street, said the extended dining would be really beneficial to reduce congestion.

"It can get a bit cluttered," he said.

Mr Samways still held some concerns over the parking situation. The trial is set to swallow up more than a dozen car spaces, which will be relocated to behind Newcastle Art Gallery while it is undergoing renovations.

"Parking is pretty crucial to the street," he said. "Hopefully what they are planning to do is going to be justifiable and not too damaging."

The business owner said the uneven footpaths on the street was also big issue that had been discussed.

"I see firsthand daily people falling over, especially elderly people, which is pretty terrible," he said. "Hopefully something does happen about that."

But overall Mr Samways said he felt good about the project.

"Hopefully this is something that will help people come back into town and realise that Darby street is actually pretty cool," he said.

Council said it recently asked for community feedback on the proposed trial traffic changes, what they liked about Darby Street and what they want improved.

"[Council is] currently working through the results of the community's feedback and will continue to liaise with businesses on Darby Street as we continue planning for the trial," a spokesperson said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: