By ANEEKA SIMONIS
AN OLINDA fruit shop has moved and, under council rule, decreased the size of a sign that was allegedly blocking the vision of drivers.
Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits was approached by the Yarra Ranges Council about the sign displayed on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road following a complaint made earlier this month.
Driving past the sign, the complainant said he nearly had an accident as “the local vegetable seller places the sign (in a place that) hides any car venturing down the hill past the shopping strip. By the time you see the car, it’s too late.”
Andrew Paxton, director of Planning, Building and Health said a council ranger attended on the day of the complaint and later assured that “the sign was moved and has now been reduced in size, moved to a more acceptable place and a permit has been granted.”
Defending the sign, fruit shop owner Paul Pellegrino said he had placed it in the same spot for over three years and had “never received a complaint”.
Despite this, he was quick to address the concern by making the necessary changes to the sign and updating the shop’s land permit.
Paul said the update had cost him around $1200 which, he said, was “a lot of money for a small business.”
Awaiting the council to approve their insurance renewal, second generation owner Tony Pellegrino said they were without a sign for the next couple of weeks.
Located down a gravel road off the main strip, he said business was and would continue to be affected until they were able to display their sign again.
“Without the sign, it’s been hard to get customers down here,” Tony said.
Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits was established in Belgrave in 1960, passed down three generations of Pellegrinos.
It moved to Olinda around 10 years ago.
