Hastings leads Bay as Mecca for shoppers

Hastings has now enjoyed five quarterly increases of retail spending in a row.

Hastings is increasingly a shopping destination for Napier and Central Hawke's Bay shoppers, according to Marketview data.

Hastings has now enjoyed five quarterly increases of retail spending in a row. Spending was up 8.3 per cent for the three months to the end of June, 22.5 per cent increase to the end of March, 19.8 per cent to the end of December, 15.2 per cent to the end of September, and 12 per cent to the end of June last year.

Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule said it was not surprising the most recent increase, 8.3 per cent, was down on previous quarters because previous growth rates were so large.

"It is to be expected, and you cannot complain about growth that is still five points ahead of the national average," he said.

"It shows that while we are sustaining growth, spending is not out of control."

The total spend in Hastings in the three months to June was $60 million, up from $59.5m the previous three months and $55.5m on the same three months last year.

Spending by cardholders from all Hawke's Bay continued to grow. The highest rate of growth for the June quarter came from Napier and Central Hawke's Bay cardholders shopping in Hastings, with a 14.9 per cent increase to $6.8 million. Growth was spread across Hastings, with the retail precinct at the southern end of St Aubyn St leading the pack with an 18 per cent increase in spending, followed by nearly 11 per cent in Havelock North and Hastings CBD with 7.4 per cent.

According to Paymark figures, retail spending in Hawke's Bay for the first half of the year was 7.8 per cent up on the same period last year,

The national figure was 5.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Hawke's Bay recorded the third-highest increase in the country, behind Gisborne on 8.4 per cent and Bay of Plenty on 8.6 per cent. While Hawke's Bay spent more it also spent more often, recording the highest increase in the number of transactions - 12.3 per cent more in 2016 compared with the first half of 2015.

It was ahead of Gisborne on 10.3 per cent and Bay of Plenty on 9.9 per cent.