Editorial: Lack of spots on seafront noteworthy

Napier

At the start of the week there was a population explosion in Napier.

To walk through the central city streets meant adapting to a slalom approach as the footpaths brimmed with people - many of them in shorts and wearing swipe card tags around their necks.

Two cruise liners had arrived in Napier Port and disgorged about 3000 people into Hawke's Bay.

Some took bus journeys to take in architecture, wine and diving birds living on the distant cape, but most chose to wander the seafront city.

While knocking together a story about the busy cruise ship period I spoke to a couple of visitors from Australia. The Princess line is based out of there at this time of the year.

Apart from the weather they mentioned the ability to be able to get around the immediate area because it was compact.

When it came to what they enjoyed most about the place it was down to simply being able to stroll the seafront.

It did not matter that they saw the sea, from upper decks, pretty well every day.

They liked the waterfront - and three out of four of those who mentioned this also mentioned there appeared to be a lack of places to sit down, have a hot or cold drink, and look at the sparkling blue sea.

The occasional bench seat was not an option for them.

One chap, from Adelaide, said the distant cape and the opposing coast up to Mahia was "pretty nice" and that it was good to sea lots of people cycling and walking the pathway.

But he and his wife lamented the lack of a seafront spot to have a quick drink and a nibble to eat.

It's a fair point, because most seafronts I've ever wandered tended to have somewhere to take a seat and take in the view . . . and a refreshment or two. It's called a view, and the sea is a great and changing one no matter what the conditions.

There is a fair old swathe of it along Marine Parade yet unlike the western end of Hardinge Rd it is not home to any dining or drinking spots unencumbered by roads, buildings or lines of trees.

A couple of little seafront spots linked off the great walkway surely would not hurt.