The location of what was planned to be a new brothel on Hastings' Heretaunga St West. Photo / Jack Riddell
A man with plans to open a brothel in Hastings’ central city says he’s been forced to abandon it because of what he claims is intolerable pressure from local body election candidates.
Hardeep Singh had applied to the Hastings District Council’s District Licensing Committee for a liquor licence for premises on Heretaunga St West, in a block of shops between Nelson St and King St.
The application said the nature of the business set to be conducted under the licence was “brothel”.
On Wednesday, Hastings councillor Damon Harvey – who is running for mayor – posted a photo of the application on Facebook with his condemnation of it.
Singh claimed his landlord told him his phone had immediately started ringing with people against the idea of a brothel, and he had decided he did not want one in the premises.
“I am very disappointed. I have lost a lot of money,” Singh said.
“I would like to ask those councillors who have been complaining what they are going to do to improve the nightlife in Hastings?
“After 4pm it’s a ghost town. I am not doing anything illegal. I was trying to create a safe place for sex workers instead of them being on the streets.”
Harvey wrote on his post: “Well respected developers along with you – the ratepayer, have invested a lot into the revitalisation of Hastings and the last thing we need is a brothel on the main street of the CBD.
“Brothels are a compliant activity, but it comes down to ‘right business and the right location’,” Harvey said.
“This area of the CBD needs an uplift. I’ve talked to many businesses in this part of town, and they want to have an enhanced hospitality and retail block.”
Mayoral candidates Marcus Buddo and Steve Gibson said they also opposed a brothel in the city.
“No, I don’t think we need a brothel in Hastings,” Buddo said.
Gibson said, as a Christian, he couldn’t support a brothel in the community.
“It degrades family values and undermines community wellbeing. The same goes for this council promoting drag queens reading to children,” Gibson said.
“Hastings deserves leadership that protects childhood innocence and strengthens, not erodes, the values that hold our families together.”
Mayoral candidate Wendy Schollum disagreed with the backlash.
“Sex work has been legal in New Zealand for more than 20 years, and sex workers deserve safe, regulated workplaces like anyone else,” Schollum said.
“As the chair of the City Centres Forum, my concern is not about legality, it’s about ensuring the new operators engage constructively with their business neighbours. The wider CBD ecosystem must remain vibrant and safe for all.”
Wellington regional co-ordinator of the Aotearoa NZ Sex Workers’ Collective Cherida Fraser says people should welcome new brothels, especially in the regions.
Fraser says sex workers in the regions don’t have many options.
“If they aren’t happy with their conditions, this gives them an option.
“There’s also safety in numbers. We were looking forward to working with the brothel and supplying them with free condoms.”
She said there were about 3500 to 5000 sex workers in New Zealand at any given time.
“It’s difficult to put a precise number on it because the stigma means many of them keep quiet.”
Anna Buckley’s business, Anna’s Beauty Lounge and Academy, was right next door to the proposed brothel.
“I feel like it’s not something that our community needs on its main street of Hastings,” Buckley said.
“We are a training facility with young students. And just on a moral ground, it doesn’t sit easy with me.”
But Singh said the plan for the brothel’s hours was that neighbouring businesses would be closed.
“It is a night-time business, so it wouldn’t affect them.”
Hastings Business Association general manager Lucinda Perry said as an organisation representing the interests of Hastings CBD businesses, it had significant concerns about the impact a brothel in the heart of Hastings’ main street would have.
“Our members work hard to create a welcoming, safe and family-friendly environment that attracts shoppers, visitors and investment,” Perry said.
“A business of this nature is not consistent with that vision. We believe it would undermine the work that has gone into revitalising our city centre. We respect the legal right for such businesses to operate, but strongly believe the CBD main street is not the appropriate location,” she said.
“The focus should remain on growing a vibrant, positive mix of retail, hospitality and services that strengthens Hastings as a destination of choice.”
The landlord, who Hawke’s Bay Today has agreed not to name, said he didn’t know his premises was going to be used as a brothel.
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said the brothel would comply with the District Plan if it opened.
“It is a commercial activity in a commercial zone. A building consent has been issued to conduct some alterations within the building.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.