The Star: October 11, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday October 11 2018 5
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
Noodle market hurts restaurants
• By Julia Evans
Peter
Morrison
THE NIGHT Noodle Market
is hitting the city’s turbulent
hospitality industry where it
hurts – the back pocket.
Canterbury Hospitality
New Zealand president Peter
Morrison said the event
organised by media company
Stuff was on for far too long
during the industry’s busiest
season and it was taking away
money from
businesses.
The market
is set to be held
in Hagley Park
for 12 nights
from February
6 to 17.
But Mr Morrison
said a lot
of businesses
in the city had
BUSINESS: The Night Noodle Markets are taking away customers from central city
restaurants and bars.
“struggled” with the market
drawing customers away from
restaurants and bars since it
began four years ago.
This year’s event saw 160,000
people attend over the 10 days of
the market.
“It’s on for a very long time,”
he said.
Mr Morrison said it would
only take away more customers
than this year as the event is running
for two additional nights.
“It’s almost two weeks over our
busiest period. These people just
come in from overseas and do it,
taking away business from those
of us who have to pay rates, rent
and staff wages 365 days a year,”
he said.
Though Mr Morrison said
businesses did support the concept
of the markets, boosting the
city’s profile.
“We’re not against it in its
entirety, but it just runs for too
long over the summer season . .
. it could be over a long weekend
or on at a far better time of the
year to bring people in when its
not busy.”
It comes at a time where Mr
Morrison said Christchurch’s
hospitality industry is particularly
“turbulent” and still recovering
from the earthquakes.
Several restaurants and bars
have been forced to close their
doors.
Six of restaurateur Tony
Astle’s businesses were put into
voluntary liquidation last month.
Though many have found new
owners since, including the Art
Gallery’s Universo.
Restaurants The Villas,
Harlequin House, Tequila
Mockingbird, Rockstar Pizza
and Drink Parlour, Chopped,
Canterbury Cheesemongers,
Chinwag, The Good Goat, and
Iconic Club and Bar have also
been closed in the central city.
But Mr Morrison said the
industry was optimistic the
warmer weather would bring
people in.
“We are all looking forward to
a good summer, but these events
don’t help,” he said.
in brief
Call for freedom
camping bylaw change
A hearings panel will
recommend the city council
make a bylaw change to ban
freedom camping in all but
one area of Akaroa. Under the
existing Freedom Camping
Bylaw, freedom camping is
banned in Akaroa’s commercial
area and main waterfront areas,
but is allowed in other areas
for up to two nights in selfcontained
vehicles. If the panel’s
recommendations are accepted
at a city council’s meeting in
November, the new restrictions
on freedom camping in Akaroa
will apply from December 1.
700 submissions on
speed limit changes
The city council received more
than 700 submission on its
proposal to the speed limit to
30km/h on roads in the city’s
south. Changes were proposed
to be made to St Asaph St
between Madras St and Hagley
Ave and Hagley Ave between
Selwyn St and Hospital corner.
It also proposed making Oxford
Tce between Riccarton Ave
and Antigua St and Antigua St
between Tuam St and Oxford Tce
10km/h.
ACHIEVE YOUR
POTENTIAL IN HEALTH
Don’t leave it until
it’s too late to get your
home’s earthquake
repairs checked.
If you’d like a career
in health or science
but you don’t meet
the entry criteria for a
diploma or degree, our
Certificate in Study
and Career Preparation
Level 4 can give you
the foundation you
need to confidently
advance to a
higher-level
qualification.
Apply now for the Certificate in
Study and Career Preparation,
start February
ara.ac.nz
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