The owner of Goosey Goosey Gander in Burra, Russell Skinner, has announced that the shop’s $5 entry fee will soon be donated to the Burra Railway Station, a local volunteer-run historical site.
The fee, which is refundable on purchase, was introduced after Good Friday to manage high visitor traffic, with around 80 per cent of visitors reportedly not buying items.
“We had been thinking about it a couple of years before we brought it in, mainly because of all the people that we get through the place… They move everything around and stealing is a problem,” Skinner said.
He added the fee was working as intended, helping to control the space rather than generate profit.
The decision to donate the fee is expected to take effect within three weeks.
However, local volunteer Kymm Apostolides, who helps at Burra’s art gallery, town hall, and museum, expressed concern.
“My concern is that tourists are perceiving that this is a town-wide thing and not just specific to this business,” he said.
“Tourists speaking to me say they are not going into other shops because of it.”
Skinner noted he had not received complaints from other local business owners, emphasising that the fee reflects the value of the curated vintage experience: “You’re getting a curated vintage experience, and you spend 35 to 40 minutes in it. That’s very good value, especially if you’re a collector and an appreciator of vintage and the way it has been displayed.”
Source: The Advertiser.
