Weather an Easter bonus for shops

Bargain-hunters were out in force over Easter weekend, with Bayfair shopping centre reporting people waiting at their doors before opening yesterday.
Bayfair duty manager Duane Beamsley said the food court opened at 11am and there were up to 20 people waiting at one of the shopping complex's four entrances. "It's been unbelievable; out of control," Mr Beamsley said. "With the rain, it's been very, very busy and busier than normal."
Mr Beamsley said he would not know foot-traffic numbers until today but suspected numbers would outdo Easter trading last year.
Manager of Fraser Cove shopping centre, Marie Mischewski, said retailers at Fraser Cove had also found it busier than Easter 2010. The reason for the rush was uncertain, but Ms Mischewski noted the school holidays didn't fall in Easter last year.
The rain had also played a part in enticing residents and holidaymakers into the warm and shelter of shops.
Thursday night was frantic in The Warehouse with people stocking up on Easter eggs, she said.
"It was exceptionally busy. I think most retailers would be pleased with how things have panned out this year ... When you take days out from retailing, it's almost like [shoppers] have withdrawals."
However, not everyone was rushed off their feet.
The owner of Palmers Gardenworld in Bethlehem, Peter Wayman, flouted the Easter trading law and opened on Good Friday for the second year running.
He "fortunately" escaped a fine and said opening had been worth the risk financially.
Wet weather, coupled with Easter weekend being later this year, meant garden centres had to do all they could to entice customers. "It hasn't been as good as a normal Easter when it's earlier and the sun shines," Mr Wayman said.
Most retailers - with the exception of eateries, pharmacies, dairies and service stations - are banned from trading on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning and Christmas Day.
Garden centres are allowed to open on Easter Sunday but required to close on Good Friday.
Stores took a blow to trading this weekend with Easter Monday coinciding with Anzac Day, which restricts trading before 1pm.
At Bunnings in Mount Maunganui, duty manager Darryl Currant said the store had been busy throughout the weekend and leading up to Easter.
Keen Western Bay residents were mostly stocking up on items for DIY projects, he said.
In downtown Tauranga, co-owner of family business Cornerstone Pub, Bev Tocker, said she was satisfied with Easter trading.
"The weather was quite kind to us in the end. It didn't rain all Saturday and was fine into Saturday night."
The National Jazz Festival boosted numbers searching for a tipple, as it did every year, she said.
In downtown Mount Maunganui, owner of Sisters clothing store, Rodelle Payne, agreed the jazz festival had "definitely helped" lure more business.
"I think we need to do a lot more of those events. I've had some lovely customers through this weekend, and noticed a lot of people from Auckland."