Big spend-up in the week before Christmas

Emma Cole from The Hawker's Wall said the business has grown beyond expectation in the last two years since it had been open. Photo/George Novak

More than $174.6 million has already been spent in the Bay of Plenty this month with retailers across the region reaping the benefits of the pre-Christmas spend-up.

The spending, through Paymark systems from December 1 to 14, was an increase of 9.5 per cent compared with the same time period last year.

The region's spend sits behind Auckland ($1090.2m), Waikato ($189.5m), Wellington ($250.2) and Canterbury ($292.2).

The Hawker's Wall owner Emma Cole said in the two years since her business in Piccadilly Arcade opened it had grown way beyond her expectations.

"We get the most amazing foot traffic through the CBD, especially in the arcade, which I didn't expect."

Mrs Cole said customers still complained about parking being an issue. "But if you really want one, you will find one. They are there."

Mrs Cole said the Tauranga CBD had a lot to offer with different one-off shops and boutiques in the area.

"It's a destination for shopping with lots to see. A lot of friends and family often comment on the variety of stores there are if they haven't been for a while."

Fraser Cove centre manager Marie Mischewski said activity at the shopping centre had been "full on" since November.

"It's ramped up, it's certainly happening," she said.

"You can see it in the number of people around, how full the carpark is, and there are lots of people with large shopping bags which are full."

Ms Mischewski said the centre appeared busier this year compared with last and put it down to the recent population growth in Tauranga.

"There is also far more competition out there, too, but we are still getting busier and busier."

Mount Mainstreet manager Ingrid Fleming said the streets of Mount Maunganui were busy with shoppers, both local and visitors to the area.

"We had the busiest winter we ever had, with the amount of shoppers to the area a continuation of that," she said.

Ms Fleming said because the centre was a "beach-to-boutique" shopping experience, she expected the high number of people and shoppers in the area to continue in the lead-up to Christmas and into the new year.

The presence of overnight cruise ships would also contribute to more spending in the Bay, she said.

"We are not only experiencing an increase in tourism, we have people from across New Zealand moving to the Bay."

Bayfair centre manager Steve Ellingford said it had been a standard December to date but this week would be the busiest.

"We have had a fantastic 18 months of solid growth," he said.

The feedback from retailers was very positive, with many saying it had been a really good few weeks.

Mainstreet Tauranga spokeswoman Sally Cooke welcomed the new Paymark figures.

"Spend is on the increase for our members, it is their key retail season and we always want them to do well.

"It encouraging for our retailers to enjoy buoyant and increased trade."

The streets of Tauranga seemed busier compared with this time last year, she said.

Graeme Gunthorp, Tauranga Crossing assets manager, said they were really thrilled with the way Tauranga Crossing had been performing since it opened.

"Lots of shoppers have been attracted by epic bargains on offer."

Mr Gunthorp said they had lots of positive feedback from the public on the centre.

There would be five new stores opening in the centre in the early new year, he said.