Nor'West News: February 11, 2021

NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday February 11 2021 11
Interest in Mexican restaurant rises
• By Bea Gooding
EXCITEMENT IS building as
residents anticipate the opening
of the city’s very first Taco Bell
restaurant.
Construction of the $1.3m
Mexican-inspired fast food restaurant
at the Eastgate Mall site
started last month and is set to
open later this year.
Simon Fisher was walking to
Subway with his son Shane when
he shared his excitement for
Linwood’s newest addition.
He could not wait to start
tucking into their fresh tacos,
salads and desserts.
“It’s great, I’ve always wanted a
Taco Bell in Christchurch. I used
to live in Australia and we had
lots of Taco Bells.”
Linda Rowlinson, who was
waiting for a bus outside Eastgate,
regularly visits the area. She
likes Mexican food, so having
a new option was something to
look forward to.
“I think it’s great. I’m up here
shopping all the time; I live in
New Brighton and there’s nothing
there so we’ve got to come up
here,” she said.
She believes the area has been
targeted for these types of outlets
but was not concerned because
“people should have a variety.”
Jacob Chatterton is looking
forward to the prospect of getting
a job at the restaurant more
than eating its food.
“I’ve never had Taco Bell. But
if I don’t have a job by
then, I’ll definitely apply
to work there.
“I think everyone
around here will like it
more, and it means less
people at McDonald’s
and KFC. The only thing
healthy for a takeaway
here is the Subway.”
But its proximity to
other outlets has caused some
concern.
It joins a group of restaurants
Jacob
Chatterton
within 200m of Linwood
Avenue School, including KFC,
McDonald’s, Burger King and
Domino’s pizza, with other
options inside Eastgate
Mall.
Said principal
Gretchen Smith: “For
us as a school, we have
constant temptation at
the gate, fuelled by the
power of the brand, and
the aroma of fast food
wafting over the school
on a daily basis, which
can be appetising or nauseating.”
This comes after a study
published last week in the
OPTIONS: A Taco Bell restaurant is
being built in Linwood, Simon Fisher,
along with son Shane, is looking
forward to Mexican food.
PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN
Preventive Medicine journal by
Canterbury University revealed a
correlation between poor mental
health and people living in
unhealthy environments.
People experiencing recent
mental distress or received
a diagnosis had a greater
likelihood of living near fast
food or alcohol outlets, with less
access to parks and waterways,
the study found.
The findings highlighted
a need for local councils
and governments to create
environments that support
healthy lifestyles, lowering
the risk of mental illness and
•HAVE YOUR SAY: What’s
your view on another fast
food outlet? Email bea.
gooding@starmedia.kiwi
distress.
Smith said the school was not
consulted on the matter seeing as
the area is a commercial zone.
Starting this year, the school
will supply lunch every day
as part of the Ministry of
Education’s “lunch in school”
programme, to help pupils meet
their nutritional needs.
“The big brands that target this
area will, of course, say that they
are just meeting the demands of
the local community and that
they offer healthy alternatives
such as salad and water, or that
they give back to the community.”
It is not the first time concerns
regarding the proliferation of fast
food restaurants in Linwood has
been raised.
In 2016, a petition was presented
to the city council to ban fast
food restaurants within 800m of
schools.
But residents have yet to see
action as the city council said
it was not able to change the
district plan to regulate fast food
until this year.