Westfield Bondi Junction: Business owners plea to shoppers after the deadly rampage that changed the Sydney shopping centre forever

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Business owners at Westfield Bondi Junction have spoken out to issue a community plea as they struggle to keep their doors open following the stabbing rampage that rocked Sydney. 

The once busy shopping centre remains a ghost town in the wake of the April 13 attack, despite the fact that with the increased security it's 'never been safer'.

Five women and a Westfield security guard were killed in the attack carried out by troubled knifeman Joel Cauchi, 40, who was then shot dead by hero police officer Amy Scott.

Bill Mohana who owns Hair Royale, Vinny Jovanovski from GloBar, and Michael Dunkley and Nan Kamhom who run Luxe Bar Café said that businesses are struggling almost a fortnight from the attack. 

They say that for Bondi to recover, locals shouldn't be frightened to return to their normal lives.

Shop keepers say Westfield Bondi Junction has 'never been safer' two weeks after six people were stabbed to death 

Business owners fear they will struggle to keep their doors open unless shoppers return to Westfield Bondi Junction. Pictured is the deserted centre when it reopened last week

Mr Dunkley, who herded customers and his wife into a safe room before helping to chase down the knifeman said that he understood people were shaken but tenants were suffering a second blow.

'It's literally empty. It should be pumping, it's the school holidays, movies are on, kids should be running everywhere, it should be alive,' he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Apart from the small crowd mostly at the supermarkets, Bondi Junction remains eerily empty two weeks on from the attack with the normally bustling food court deserted. 

Mr Dunkley said his Luxe Bar Café business has lost about $20,000 in wasted stock and is losing money through rent and bills each day that shoppers stay away.

Hairdresser Mr Mohana from Hair Royale said the rent, about $5,000 a week was a huge concern and he doesn't know how much longer he can remain open.

'No one comes in. Before we were busy, we were working all day … now there are no women at all,' he told the publication. 

'We want mothers and families to understand it's safe to come back to Bondi now – please come back because to be honest, there's not much longer we can last.' 

Nan Kamhom and Michael Dunkley from Westfield Bondi Junction's Luxe Bar Café are worried they will not be able to stay in business as people avoid the area after stabbing attack

Bill Mohana who owns Hair Royale and Vinny Jovanovski from GloBar said  the high rents at the centre were crippling as customers stayed away

Security guards at the Westfield now have stab-proof vests and the police presence patrolling the centre has been ramped.

In addition to the public's support, shop owners also pleaded for additional assistance from Westfield and the NSW government.

The shopping centre reopened for trading six days after the stabbing rampage. 

A spokesperson for Westfield owners, Scentre Group, said almost all of the businesses in the mall were back open.

But some such as Chanel, outside of which one of the attacks occurred, remain closed.

'As announced last week, we are providing both financial and non-financial support to all Westfield Bondi business partners during this very difficult period,' a Scentre spokesperson said.

'This includes our decision to waive rent between 13-19 April.' 

Healthy eatery GloBar should be bustling on the school holiday period but it is now empty

Five women and a Westfield security guard  were stabbed to death at Westfield Bondi Junction. More than a dozen others were injured.

NSW small business minister Steve Kamper said that the government has offered free mental health support services and training to affected businesses.

He  added the government has also encouraged locals to 'support local small business that has been impacted by this tragedy'. 

New mum Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

Twelve others were also injured, including Ms Good's nine-month-old daughter Harriet, who has since been released from hospital.