NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

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 / New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: Narking causing stress, anxiety for small business owners trying to 'stay afloat'

Anna Leask
By Anna Leask
Senior Journalist - crime and justice·NZ Herald·
2 Mar, 2021 10:50 PM6 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

There are no new Covid-19 cases in the community today. Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins describes the result as good news, although he re-iterates the country is still in a "critical period" regarding the Auckland outbreak.

Auckland business owners already struggling to stay afloat during current level 3 restrictions say being unfairly reported to police for "breaching" the rules is causing them huge stress and anxiety.

And while they understand the community's fear around the spread of Covid-19, they are encouraging people to call them first before "narking" to authorities or sending photos straight to media outlets.

The Herald has received a number of photos and videos of businesses allegedly breaching rules and of members of the public gathering in larger groups.

Some have been reported to police.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

At alert level 3, there are restrictions to keep workers safe, limit interaction with customers and help prevent the spread of the virus.

If a business - including restaurants, gyms, retail stores - requires close physical contact it can't operate.

Many food outlets are offering a pick-up service and online purchasing is available at many stores.

Yesterday the police non-emergency 105 line was experiencing high demand with people calling to report potential breaches.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

On Sunday the line received 3746 calls - approximately 1000 more calls than usual.

The Herald has also been inundated by people concerned their businesses were operating outside the rules.

Cafe owner 'stressed' after being 'targeted'

Narrow Neck Beach Cafe owner Josie Wang was devastated when police called in to see her this morning.

The Herald was also contacted by someone who claimed the cafe was operating a dine-in service.

Discover more

New Zealand|education

PM and principal's 'frank' talk on Covid victims' social media pile-on

03 Mar 06:24 AM
Opinion

Claire Trevett: The PM, Case L and the pickle of confusion

03 Mar 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Covid-19 vaccination conundrum: Can DHBs force staff to get the jab?

03 Mar 04:52 AM

Wang said that was not the case and that police were satisfied she was operating within level 3 rules.

The cafe has a number of fixed tables outside and a photo supplied to the Herald showed three lots of people sitting there.

Customers and members of the public at a North Shore cafe waiting for coffee. Narrow Neck Beach Cafe owner says rules were not breached and police are happy with her business. Photo / Supplied
Customers and members of the public at a North Shore cafe waiting for coffee. Narrow Neck Beach Cafe owner says rules were not breached and police are happy with her business. Photo / Supplied

Wang said two tables were people who had come together and were waiting for food or coffee. The other table was occupied by a person who had wandered in from the surrounding reserve.

She was doing a take out service and running things solo so her staff were kept safe.

"I can't move the tables and the rules don't say you have to cordon tables off," she said.

"But the police are going to help and bring back some tape, and I have now put signs up.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I care very much, we are very much a community business and a responsible cafe - I am very stressed."

Wang said she was desperate to keep her business going - but was also giving free meals to vulnerable and older people in the community because everyone was doing it tough during the pandemic.

"I can't stop people from sitting on the picnic tables (in the reserve) and people want to sit and wait for their coffee ... I am not doing any dine-in," she assured.

"I understand (the Government) has asked people to report breaches but sending photos to the media (and) shaming businesses ... is not the right way to do this.

"We are all for keeping people safe, we've been doing everything we possibly can and in all the other lockdowns no one has complained."

She felt some people were "targeting" businesses and asked that they speak to the owner or manager first for an explanation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fitness studio pleads for understanding

Another business that was "dobbed in" was the F45 fitness studio in Mt Eden.

At F45 in Mt Eden staff are running live fitness classes for members, observing all level 3 rules with the blessing of police who they have spoken to repeatedly. Photo / Supplied
At F45 in Mt Eden staff are running live fitness classes for members, observing all level 3 rules with the blessing of police who they have spoken to repeatedly. Photo / Supplied

Photos taken at 5.55am show people inside the gym.

But the owner told the Herald everything they were doing was in line with the rules.

They were live-streaming classes for members - socially distanced - so they could keep their fitness up during lockdown.

The studio owner told the Herald they were reported to police last lockdown and officers who visited confirmed "everything was above board".

"We have also called the local police (today) and they have again confirmed that we are doing everything above board," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We are definitely not open and there are signs in the window to explain what we are doing, that we are in here filming live and if you see anyone on site that's what we are doing.

"There are no members of site - I'm the owner and I'm not even going in there to work out."

She said being "reported" to police and the media was frustrating and caused unnecessary stress.

"I'm really, really anxious," she said.

"This kind of thing ... if these rumours (we are operating) spread, this can destroy a business.

"We're trying to do everything we can to keep our heads above water, we are doing the right thing and at the same time we are supporting our members who are begging us for these classes."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She understood that people were concerned about businesses not doing the right thing, but urged them to call the studio before taking any other action.

"We're trying to do the absolute right thing - but there's always someone out there with nothing better to do, I guess," she said.

"If you see us in the studio, come and knock on the window, we won't be rude, we'll certainly explain the situation."

The Herald has also received reports of people gathering including a covert church meeting and a bakery letting customers on-site to purchase goods.

These have been reported to the police via the 105 number.

Kerbside market 'crazy' with sales

One woman reporter a breach online yesterday after spotting a car pull onto a Hobsonville street and its occupants appeared to be selling food.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said as soon as the car pulled up people swarmed to it - so she believed it may have been advertised online somewhere.

Police were called about this alleged "market" on the side of a Hobsonville street. Photo / Supplied
Police were called about this alleged "market" on the side of a Hobsonville street. Photo / Supplied

"They pulled up opened the boot and they set up two trestle tables selling what looked like cooked chickens, bread and vegetables," she told the Herald.

"There were no masks, no social distancing and people were paying in cash

"I couldn't believe it; it was like kids in a candy store."

Tables were set up on the footpath so people cycling and walking had to go around them.

The woman immediately reported the breach online and was able to give the registration number of the car.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The woman said the car was there for an hour with people lined up.

"If one of those people had Covid then there's another 150 businesses out of work," she said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Business

Business

Inside the debacle that gutted a video game studio

15 Jun 06:36 PM
Premium
Business

Will strong GDP growth put the OCR on hold?

15 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
Small Business

Small Business: Weaving culture and quality with Nodi Rugs

15 Jun 05:00 PM

Audi offers a sporty spin on city driving with the A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Inside the debacle that gutted a video game studio

Inside the debacle that gutted a video game studio

15 Jun 06:36 PM

From hits to hurdles: Big studio faces turmoil after disappointing sales.

Premium
Will strong GDP growth put the OCR on hold?

Will strong GDP growth put the OCR on hold?

15 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
Small Business: Weaving culture and quality with Nodi Rugs

Small Business: Weaving culture and quality with Nodi Rugs

15 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
How much trust should we place in analyst advice?

How much trust should we place in analyst advice?

15 Jun 04:00 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

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
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • 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
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP