How to help our CBD thrive after-hours

Tony Collins.

There are interesting conversations being had at present in regards to how the council can revitalise the central business district in weekends and at night. The Whangarei District Council has released its Weekend and Night Time Economy Discussion Document, which can be found on its website and aims to stimulate thinking on inner-city activities to invigorate its weekend and night time economy.

The objective is to enable business to create vibrancy within the CBD outside of traditional business hours and to create a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.

It is a start point to addressing how to attract and retain new businesses, young professionals, entrepreneurs, innovative developers and tourism operators in a friendly, high-amenity inner city environment.

Part of the answer may be more of a focus on mixed use and inner city living, al fresco dining opportunities and improved pedestrian connections. To this end I imagine some of the work within the council's Long Term Plan for John St, Cameron St, Vine St and the Southern Gateway/Transit Precinct will help provide the appropriate arena for these activities.

This is a case where there are multiple stakeholders who impact on creating an enabling environment for the private sector. Council and other regulatory agencies all need to be committed to creating business-friendly conditions.

For this initiative to achieve any significant results will require a collaborative approach that recognises the importance meaningful engagement with the private sector plays in creating a vibrant and welcoming CBD.

Along with landowners and regulatory agencies, the key stakeholders are those whose businesses operate in this area at weekends and evenings.

These are predominantly business owners engaged in hospitality who have made huge investments in a relatively high-risk sector. Their enterprise should be encouraged and supported as without their participation we may have a safe night time environment, but one which no one wishes to occupy.