The renovation of Caulfield Plaza is causing inconvenience for some Monash University students, who say they are struggling to find food and grocery options between classes.

Adjacent to Monash University's Caulfield Campus, the Plaza has served the local community for 33 years. It has been an easily accessible shop for Monash students and staff, as well as nearby residents.

Monash student Aditi Khandelwal, who shopped at the Plaza in the past two years, says the closure forces her to spend extra time getting the shopping done. 

“I used to go to [Flames] Pizzeria, as it was affordable and had a good vegetarian variety,” Khandelwal said. She said Caulfield Plaza Bakery and Lin's Asian Grocery also had vegetarian food, with breakfast options too.

As Khandelwal lives in Caulfield, she said she now needs to take an extra 15 minutes on the train to South Yarra to get groceries. 

“It takes a lot of time for me to travel,” she said. 

Jainarayan Tiwari, a Masters student at Monash, said he needs to pay more to buy food from retailers on Caulfield Campus because of the closure.

“As the cost of living is increasing, I don’t have a part-time job yet and I can’t afford to spend more on food with my rent being $400 per week,” Tiwari said.

“It is disappointing, to be honest, that we have fewer options in terms of food and beverages around the campus," he said.

“The breakfast in the university cafes is quite expensive for everyday food if you come to the university early in the morning,” he added.

“I feel having more shops in Caulfield Plaza would be a plus point, but yeah, the limited vegetarian options around here are the Japanese, Korean and Chinese restaurants around the corner.”

The new Caulfield Plaza will be a warm retail location that supports the Caulfield neighbourhood, according to Glen Eira City Council. The renovation includes a redesign of the parking lot, too.

While the renovation is on, Monash University has recommended students shop along Derby Road or at the nearby Coles Caulfield Village. 

The Plaza closed on August 1 and will reopen in 2025.