Local Focus: End of the road for Our Place?

As Tauranga City Council battles with the economic fallout of Covid-19, it's looking at a range of cost-cutting options.

One of the more popular services on the chopping block is Our Place, the pop-up container village in the heart of the city.

Home to a variety of food trucks and boutique retailers since 2017, Our Place was once part of the council's vision to inject some much-needed life into the CBD. But in a meeting that lasted more than seven hours, council narrowly voted in favour of closing the venue permanently.

"It's a little bit disappointing as we were doing quite well in our business," said Dan Johnstone from eatery Hello Rosie.

"Most people are against it, especially the regular customers."

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Shelly Bullock, from The Style Loft, says the decision is a bad one.

"I think it's really sad. It's an amazing community hub and lots does actually go on here, and I think a lot community-wise can still go on here. It would be really sad for it to go."

Local resident Deborah Ussery said: "My first reaction was shock. I really enjoy Our Place and go as often as we can with my friend and I. So yeah, it would be a big disappointment to see it go."

J D Smith, also a local, doesn't agree either.

"It's totally wrong and it's for the locals and locals building business."

The public has two weeks to have a say on the cost-cutting measures as part of the draft annual plan when it goes out for public consultation in late June.

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