Mount Maunganui main street businesses have noticed a drop in foot traffic, raising concerns about making it through the winter season.
By Ayla Yeoman, Local Democracy Reporter
Businesses spoken to by Local Democracy Reporting say it has been quiet and depressed in the downtown area in the aftermath of last Thursday’s deadly Mauao landslide.
Businesses within the landslide cordon have been closed for the past week, with one reporting losses of up to $60,000.
But those outside the cordon were also feeling the impact.
One main street retail worker said some people believed the whole Mount Maunganui suburb was closed, even though the cordon only included Mauao and the area around the base.
Because of this, the Mount Maunganui main street – usually packed during the peak summer season – had been eerily quiet, businesses say.
However, the cruise ship schedule brought hope.
Eleven cruise ships were due to arrive within the next 10 days, and the suburb was expected to host about 445,000 domestic visitors and 100,000 international visitors this month.
Tourists were being encouraged to stay in the township and support local businesses.
Mount Made manager Matt Oliver said the foot traffic around his store had dropped by “at least 10%”.
“Morale is definitely down. Everyone felt it in some sort of way. It’s pretty sad.”
Most customers were coming in and talking about the event, commenting on how tragic it was, he said.
Gigi’s manager Tessa Crean also said she had noticed a drop in foot traffic and 30% fewer customers, adding that long weekends were usually busy.
The disaster happened five days before Auckland Anniversary Weekend.
“We’ve had a lot of very quiet periods.”
One Tree Bakery Cafe owner Chandara Lon said Saturday was relatively busy because people were buying for those working at the scene.
But business was slow on Sunday and Monday.
He said he had ordered a lot of stock to make up for the busyness he expected from the long weekend.
“Me and my wife were just standing looking at each other, and not even one or two customers came in.”
He said it was worse than what he would usually see in the quieter winter months.
Lon, who took over the business three years ago, said he had never seen it like this.
He was relying on cruise ship tourists and locals to get back to normal.
Blondie Diner owner Bradley Jack Dellar said it had been “morbid” and quiet.
It was “way worse” for businesses closer to Mauao within the cordon area.
Dellar said January was usually busy, especially during school holidays.
He said it should be at least three-quarters full for the lunchtime rush. However, on Wednesday, there were few customers.
“People aren’t going down here, people aren’t coming into town. It sucks.”
Ingrid Otene, a main street retail store worker, said she was worried about the narrative around “the Mount” being closed.
Many people believed the whole of Mount Maunganui was closed, they were avoiding the area, not knowing that only Mauao was closed, she said.
“I think that’s why a lot of people stay home.
“Maybe if people change that narrative, it will be apparent that the beaches are still there and other attractions.”
Mount Maunganui Crate Clothing manager Corey Richards said Sunday was a good day business-wise, but Monday was slow.
He said it had been quiet since the tragedy and that there had been less foot traffic than last summer.
International tourists, supporting locals
Mount Mainstreet chairperson Jo Veale said the closure of Mauao would have a huge impact on international tourists and their plans here.
Veale said their message to international tourists was that Mount Maunganui was open and would stay open.
She explained the importance of keeping businesses open and “allowing motion through grief”.
“It’s been a fine line. On one hand, things stopped for a while, and now it’s about restarting sensitively.
“If locals support the main street, that creates vibrancy. If people want to live and work here, we have a strong city.”
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan said the immediate impact of the Mauao slip on tourism had been one of shock and deep concern.
“It’s important to note that virtually all the Mount Maunganui retail and business district, except for the area near the base of Mauao, is continuing to operate as normally as possible, as are those in the wider Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty region.”
Some parks and reserves had been closed.
Ten cruise ships are expected between January 29 and February 7.
He said Tourism Bay of Plenty had communicated with cruise lines about the emotional impact on the community and advice on how passengers may need to change their onshore plans.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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