11 May 2016

New businesses choosing Rotorua inner city

New businesses are opening in Rotorua’s inner city and retailers are welcoming the renewed vibrancy.

Rotorua Lakes Council inner city portfolio lead Cr Karen Hunt says there has been a concerted effort by both Council and the business community to revitalise the inner city and it is now paying clear dividends.

“We have seen several new businesses open up down town - from retail outlets to a high profile law firm – and all of these businesses are praising the reinvigorated atmosphere to be found in the city,” she says.

“We have also seen foot traffic increase in the CBD, with a solid 12% increase in 2015 alone on the main street spine of the inner city where efforts have been focussed.”

Equally dramatic has been the increase in card spend registered; from 2013 to 2015 this figure rose 9.7% in the CBD, and this growth is expected to continue.

Deputy mayor and economic growth portfolio lead Dave Donaldson said there had also been a 2.1% growth in employment in the inner city.

“This is a marked turnaround from 2013 when the revitalisation project started and employment was registering a negative change of -2.5%. The majority of this growth has been focussed around traditional city office jobs, which is a reflection of the degree to which mainstream employers are returning to the CBD.”

Cathy Barker and Sarah Pearson recently opened the Honey Comb hair salon on the corner of Tutanekai and Pukuatua Streets and are quick to sing the praises of the reinvigorated inner city.

The pair had talked of opening their own salon for some time, so when what they call the “perfect location” became available they jumped at the chance and launched a good old-fashioned Kiwi-style do-it-yourself project on the empty premises.

“We basically stripped it bare and started from scratch,” says Cathy, “and everything except the cutting stations, shelving and wallpaper has been repurposed or recycled. People just would not believe what a low budget we had to come up with all this!”

“It’s a no brainer,” she says when asked if she would recommend others to follow in her footsteps.

“There are a lot of talented, creative people in Rotorua, it is all happening here and it is affordable. . . There are a lot of affordable shops and a lot of people to help you. The support of the small shops has been overwhelming. We had an Indian lunch delivered to us by the people up the road; its buzzing here and it’s a no brainer to open in Rotorua. And no traffic – you can have Auckland!”

Wellington-based Kahui Legal has also recently opened an office in downtown Rotorua with premises in the new GHA building on Fenton Street. The high-profile firm was established in 2003 and has extensive experience in advising on Māori issues across a range of areas, including corporate and commercial law, environmental and resource management, Māori Land law, Treaty of Waitangi issues and governance. Kahui Legal was also a finalist in the NZ Law Awards in 2015.

Damian Stone, one of the partners at the firm, says Kahui Legal has numerous clients in the Bay of Plenty region and has been involved in a number of significant regional developments in recent years.

“The firm has acted on a number of Treaty settlements in the region from Tauranga to Taupo,” he says.

“We have always had a very strong client base here in Rotorua but also in Taupo, Tauranga, Whakatane, and Opotiki and we always thought that we should open an office in Rotorua. The opening of the firm’s Rotorua office is also a broader sign of increasing Maori economic development activity within the region, and with the opening of the GHA Building it was an opportune time for us.”

Shoppers in the inner city have also witnessed the return of some familiar faces. Smith Sports Shoeshave a brand new store in Tutanekai Street but owners Graeme and Darren Best and Monique Rennie are old hands in the trade with Graeme having previously operated the franchise in a different location.

After several years abroad he has now returned to Rotorua, and when asked why he chose the location Graeme says he wanted a shop with a high profile and with good foot traffic. “It’s very vibrant here, we get a lot of tourists coming past and also a lot of people who knew me when I had the old store have started coming in. We have a nice ambience out there, the whole feel of it is just so good.”

Asked if he would recommend other retailers to set up shop in the city, Graeme is clear:

“I wouldn’t hesitate. Rotorua is on the move and it is vibrant. I’ve noticed it since I’ve come back; when I left in 2004 it wasn’t that vibrant, but now I’ve come back and it is a totally different place.”

ENDS

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