Front office

Written By Gareth M.

1993 original map showing the “play area” where the office resides.

Listed as the "play area" on the early 1993 map the front office was located behind the front counter.

It had glass doors on either side of the office that were almost never closed, unless in the very rare situation when someone wanted to try on an item of clothing being sold near the front counter, then the doors could be closed and items used to cover the glass for privacy.

Front counter showing both entrances to office. (2021-11-28)

The office contained keys for all the dealers within the Packing House, and for the Village, as a backup in case they weren't present in order to assist customers, and in the case of the Village in case of lockout of their premises. These were all given back to dealers and traders in the Village upon Morgan & Griffin's takeover of ownership in 2022. 

Inside the office was also the public address system, which was plugged into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to maintain the announcement system during a power outage. This system allowed the front counter to address the whole building, with megaphone speakers mounted in or near every chamber. Most often it was used to summon a dealer to the front counter or to tell them to return to their areas. Or to announce closing time. But in an emergency it would be used to direct evacuation or other such processes.

The microphone for this system sat on a very flexible shelf along with a fax machine that until the NBN was connected still worked and even had a dedicated phone number for such purposes. Before email this was the only way to receive document-based information instantaneously.

The office and the doorway into Chamber 9 - Jonathon. (Cropped 360 image: 2021-11-28)

The office also contained the feed for security cameras which were installed in the late 2010s after break-ins rattled many of the dealers, especially the jewellery dealers who contributed to its installation. 

Additionally the office also contained the motion sensor-based security system which had also been installed following break-ins in the late 1990s; motion sensors were installed (in some cases in awkward locations) throughout the building.

On the exterior of the office, within the front counter area was the emergency exit door alarm system, which also formed part of the security system.

Within the office were a number of shelves, up to 2021 these were used for small lay-by items, but following a complaint by a customer, and after speaking with Consumer Affairs and being made aware the specifics required it was decided to no longer offer lay-bys at the front counter. Instead it would be up to each individual dealer for have a lay-by agreement.

In late August 2019, as Sheila Martland consolidated her areas down from the side of Chamber 1 - Tycos to Chamber 9 - Jonathon a hole was cut from the front office area into Chamber 9 so that both the front counter and Chamber 9 could be monitored at the same time.

Then when Morgan & Griffin took ownership and Sheila Martland moved into Chamber 9, solely and ceased monitoring the front counter this doorway between the front office and Chamber 9 was blocked with a cupboard. 

When Sheila ceased trading at the Packing House on 13th February 2022 this cupboard was removed allowing monitoring of Chamber 9 to resume from the front counter. 

Following the ownership change to Morgan & Griffin the front office was utilised less for its multitude of roles that it had been in the past and was therefore cleared out and remained somewhat more empty than it had through the prior 30 years.  

Note: Images have dates written in YEAR-MONTH-DAY format, as there is a mix of mediums of images with some having more exact dates than others.

More information

  • The office had a fridge plus tea and coffee making facilities just for the front counter’s use. This was in addition to facilities that had been provided in the lay-by room until 2021.

  • Various maintenance items were stored in the office such as spare fluorescent, and then LED light globes. Plus additional tea, coffee and sugar for the lay-by room. Plus other items like spare heater vents as some were in highly-trafficked areas of the Packing House and would get damaged.

Gareth M.
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Lay-by room
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Front Counter