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Businesses are reporting an increase in foot traffic in Hamilton’s CBD in the wake of a campaign to attract people back to the centre after Covid.
Central city retailers are reporting signs of a post-lockdown buzz as shoppers and office workers return to the CBD.
Luring shoppers and workers back into the central city sits at the heart of a campaign to revitalise Hamilton’s downtown following a series of crippling Covid lockdowns in 2021.
Driving the campaign has been the Hamilton Central Business Association (HCBA) with financial backing from the city council.
The initiative, dubbed Love the Centre, was launched before Easter and runs through to July.
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Vanessa Williams,? HCBA general manager, said there has been a noticeable uplift in foot traffic in the CBD since the launch.
Electronic card spending data from the past financial quarter is expected to be available soon.
Kelly Hodel/Stuff
“Overall, I’d say there is a good level of optimism out there,” Hamilton Central Business Association general manager Vanessa Williams says.
Anecdotal feedback from central city retailers indicates a positive vibe has returned to the CBD, Williams said.
“In talks with different retailers … there has definitely been a buzz in the air and some good feedback on how they’re faring in terms of days and weeks and packed-out restaurants and good shopping days,” she said.
“Overall, I’d say there is a good level of optimism out there.”
Williams also singled out Waikato Times for praise for its editorial pieces highlighting the push to get people back into the CBD.
Hamilton deputy mayor Geoff Taylor? said Williams and her team have done a remarkable job putting together a campaign so quickly.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate and deputy mayor Geoff Taylor say the central city is showing signs of bouncing back from Covid lockdowns (file photo).
HCBA will play a key role in assisting the central city to recover.
“It’s important to remember the job isn’t done,” Taylor said.
“We’ve got a cost of living crisis, [rising] interest rates, heading into a recession probably, and I think the activation plan and our support for it is more important than ever.”
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate? said the CBD is trending in the right direction and praised HCBA for its efforts during challenging times.
“The CBD is going from strength to strength. But of course, to get to its pinnacle is going to take a bit of time when you see things like the Waikato Regional Theatre open and inner-city apartments in greater numbers,” Southgate said.
Meanwhile, Hamilton City Council has indicated plans to wind down its rent relief to council tenants stung by Covid.
Nicolas Wells,? council’s strategic property manager, said demand for the rent support is tailing off.
A 50 per cent relief had been offered to eligible tenants in the hospitality sector. Retail operators had also been eligible during an initial round of support.
The first round of rent relief cost ratepayers $142,000.
Wells said the second round of rent support had a budget of $138,000 but less than half of that amount had been spent to date.
“The package was provided for at a specific point of time and was fit for purpose. All our tenants have survived despite very trying times. We’re not getting any sense that there’s another requirement coming unless of course the Covid environment changes really quite significantly,” Wells said.
“If circumstances were to change, we [council staff] would obviously come back to the council with our views on what was required to meet the circumstances.”
