Lendlease-managed property trust, Australian Prime Property Fund, owned the Brisbane Transit Centre and Hotel Jen until it was acquired by the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority in December 2018. Loading Hotel Jen ceased trading on December 15. The Roma Street Brisbane Transit Centre will be progressively demolished from the end of the year, following the selection of the Cross River Rail design in mid-2019. Many businesses expressed quiet frustration with Lendlease after being told they must all be out by March 20.

Most small businesses are now negotiating with either Lendlease or the CRRDA to finalise their compensation agreements. Some businesses had been told not to talk to the media, others were prepared to talk in general, while others said their compensation talks were “not too bad, but what can you do?”. Brisbane Times understands the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority is now working through more than 40 individual compensation claims for the businesses. The CRRDA will cover the businesses relocation costs, business transition costs - within reason - and allow businesses to make business expense claims for three years, a senior source said. Louise Alberts has run the coffee stall on the third floor bus lounge on a month-by-month lease for three years.

Ms Alberts said she had to close by August, when the third-floor bus arrival and departure lounge was due to close, before she shifts to the northern side of the Roma Street train station. Brisbane Transit Centre coffee trader Louise Alberts. 'I don't think they realise a lot of us are small family-run businesses.' Credit:Tony Moore She said her compensation talks were “pretty good”. “But I don’t think they realise a lot of us are family-run businesses and we aren’t paid when we have to move on,” Ms Alberts said. Lara Smit has run the Transit Centre Newsagency for 26 years. She said almost all businesses were negotiating their way out of the centre with the CRRDA.

“I think everybody is,” Ms Smit said. “There are different tenancies. Everybody is different, with different spaces and different leases.” Transit Centre newsagency's Lara Smit says all businesses are looking for compensation. Credit:Tony Moore Pack and Walk owner Pram Kisho has run his Asian food business in the food court for more than three years. Mr Kisho had a three-year lease in the Transit Centre food court, which was set to expire in 2020, but has been asked leave by March 20 this year. He plans to leave by the end of January.

Mr Kisho said compensation talks were “good” with the CRRDA. “It is a bit hard for us, but it is good for the government,” he said. “We are asking for compensation, we all are.” The Food Court section of the Brisbane Transit Centre will be closed by late March 2019. Credit:Tony Moore The old bus coach terminal, on the third floor of the Brisbane Transit Centre, was due to close in July.

While demolition and construction work is under way, it will be shifted to a temporary facility for up to 10 years at a ground-floor section of Parkland Crescent, on the Wickham Terrace side of Roma Street train station. This new temporary facility, next to train platform 10, was expected to be operational by July. "An exact date to close Level 3 of the Brisbane Transit Centre has not yet been confirmed," a Cross River Rail Delivery Authority spokeswoman said. "The current expectation is that it will close once the new temporary Coach Terminal becomes operational, which is expected to be from mid-2019." The temporary coach centre will have just five coach bays, compared to the 30 at the existing Brisbane Transit Centre bus terminal.