"Our priority is to continue to work closely with the businesses on the street to iron out any challenges that occur with all the changes and strive to make it a great initiative of opportunity for the businesses."
A survey was staged before the precinct's launch, Ms Cooke said. "We collected some data and once the street is completed for stage one we will do a follow-up survey to gather this information and assess."
She could not say how many people had visited the precinct so far. Numbers were difficult to track because the precinct "is not a trade show".
"We are reviewing foot traffic trends, we're reviewing traffic, but because it's a street, it's really hard," she said.
"It's more relevant on how the businesses are performing and how they will perform over time."
Spuntino owner Juan Carbenas said he bought the business in the precinct three months ago and his first day was a "nightmare," due to traffic construction, which had kept people away.
"I had to close down for a while ... One day I said, 'Shut the door, man, because no-one is coming'." He liked the concept of a dining precinct and hoped it would pick up, but there was "no difference at the moment".
Rossco's Cafe and Bar owner Rob Dinneen said his business further up Wharf St was not in the designated area but he was disappointed he had not been approached to be part of it. Although he was aware of the project through newsletters, he said so far "in terms of people at the moment it's been pretty poorly patronised but at night time maybe it picks up, I don't know".
"To me, personally, I think it has been an absolute flop."
Momo Teppan-Yaki manager Michelle Hsu said it was a positive, as it would bring people through the street, but it was still early days.
Tourism Bay of Plenty assistant marketing and communications manager Abby Hadfield said Wharf St fitted nicely under its brand essence of laid-back sophistication.
"As much of our marketing activity passes through this filter, we have already been promoting Tauranga's newest cosmopolitan dining precinct and we look forward to seeing it continue to progress through to the summer season."
With industry partners such as Downtown Tauranga and Tauranga City Council leading and in support of Wharf St, the on-trend dining precinct could become a great asset for the CBD, she said.
The council had contributed $10,000 to the precinct. A spokesman said: "The council supports the dining precinct as a locally-driven initiative to try something a bit different in the city centre."
Creative Tauranga acting general manager Jennifer Pearson said the precinct was an evolving concept.
Test Run:
It was intended the Wharf St Dining Precinct would develop over time. The current street layout was a trial phase. For the coming months Tauranga City Council's transport team and Mainstreet Tauranga would work closely to ensure the layout was at its best. There may be some changes in coming months as they assessed and addressed needs.
