Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Market organiser to stand

By Ged Cann
Hamilton News·
9 Jun, 2016 03:58 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kelli Pike.

Kelli Pike.

The local body elections will be held in October and already a number of fresh candidates are putting their hands up for consideration.

The most recent is Kelli Pike, a former CBD store owner and vintage enthusiast whose most recent project has been the organising of a Ferrybank Market, who will run in the West Ward.

Ms Pike's main emphasis will be targeting the ailing CBD, but unlike other candidates who concentrate on attracting retail and business occupancy as the key to revitalisation, Ms Pike believes an approach based on the arts, community and events is key.

"I have a perspective that no one else has at the moment," she said.

Competing with The Base and other suburban malls on their own ground by relying on retail is a mistake, according to Ms Pike, who believes the CBD should play to its own strengths, including history, architecture, ability to host events and opportunities to capitalise on the cultures of the city.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said many of the city's biggest selling points, including the river walkway, were hidden and needed highlighting.

Ms Pike described the current reputation of the CBD as a "black hole of nothingness", and while the Ferrybank Market she co-organises is a start she believes there are plenty more opportunity as the River Plan progresses.

"If you have events and you're showing people the good points they will come. They just don't want to come just for the retail," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There hasn't been a lot going on because of the opinion of the CBD but it's about embracing the River Plan."

Now is a prime time for the shift of emphasis, according to Ms Pike, with Aucklanders and other newcomers to the city who did not hold the prejudices of vacant shops and homelessness.

"In the last month I have been winding up the retail business of Teacup and Saucer to get ready for running for Council," she said.

"I'm hoping people see I'm genuine and not just throwing money at it because I can."

Ms Pike said she had very little money to put towards a campaign, but would be using social media to galvanise support.

"I have started a blog to allow voters to see me," she said.

On the issue of public transport Ms Pike said it was essential to drop the prices, with current price points putting buses on par with the cost of private vehicles.

The demand for housing spilling over from Auckland is a good thing, according to Ms Pike, but she said too much emphasis was being placed on the north, and there were three alternative directions of growth not being properly looked at.

She said house prices were always going to rise with increased population but the idea of first home buyers being priced out of the market was frightening.

Ms Pike said she was not an accountant and had no expertise on pipes or waste management, but said she would be studying the Council actions and issues in the run up to elections in preparation for the election.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

You can read more from Kelli Pike at www.teacuponline.wordpress.com

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Home build dream shattered after business hacked and woman launders couple’s $150k

12 Jul 01:00 AM
Waikato Herald

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
Property

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

11 Jul 08:45 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Home build dream shattered after business hacked and woman launders couple’s $150k
Waikato Herald

Home build dream shattered after business hacked and woman launders couple’s $150k

12 Jul 01:00 AM

Sophie Winchester-Krishan earned $5k for laundering the couple's scammed money.

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm
Waikato Herald

Landslide sparks evacuations, roads closed, homes flooded after storm

12 Jul 12:43 AM
Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

11 Jul 08:45 AM
Storm leaves 13,000 without power in Tasman
Waikato Herald

Storm leaves 13,000 without power in Tasman

11 Jul 08:18 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP