Wellington City Council considering $1500 grants to struggling Thorndon Quay businesses

The Thorndon Quay roadworks and the Golden Mile project have been labelled two 'massive projects' by Mayor Tory Whanau. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Businesses on Wellington’s Thorndon Quay could be in for a “micro-grant” from the Wellington City Council.

At a council environment and infrastructure committee meeting, a majority of councillors voted in favour of the city council directing officials to investigate grants of up to $1500 per business, as part of the business support package for the Thorndon Quay project, which involves extensive roadworks.

The news comes after revelations Wellington mayor Tory Whanau was considering a relief package for businesses set to be impacted by upcoming construction works on the Golden Mile.

Councillors Tony Randle and Nicola Young opposed the amendment put forward by the mayor.

Whanau said the Thorndon Quay roadworks, as well as the Golden Mile, would be the city’s two “massive projects”.

Whanau added the idea of relief for struggling businesses had come up during her mayoral business group. “We will be doing that [support] for the Golden Mile. Let’s test it for Thorndon Quay as well.”

City councillors were told by chief infrastructure officer Siobhan Procter that the $1500 sum would make a difference.

“What we’ve been told by Auckland City Council and the businesses it supported - yes, it is received very well by those businesses,” Proctor said.

On the difference it may make, Whanau said “of course it won’t be enough for many, but we can at least look for small ways to help”.

A number of Wellington businesses are closing their doors, including bars in the city’s entertainment district of Courtenay Place, restaurants, and cafes across the central city.

Pandoro owner Tony Beazley partially blamed the city council’s removal of car parks to build cycleways for reducing foot traffic in the CBD.

Other business leaders say mass cuts to public sector jobs, combined with the rise of people working from home, are also responsible for the pain businesses are facing.

Young said, in jest, it was “really exciting we found a money tree”, and inquired as to where it was located.

Officials confirmed the council could tap into its city growth fund.

Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera said the city “ought to be cautious in handing out money willy nilly”.

On whether $1500 per business would be significant, councillor Geordie Rogers said “it really doesn’t sound like a lot [...] the kind of analogy for me is we may not be giving an apple tree but we’re fertilising the saplings they have - so that when the work is done, there’s far more fruit to bear”.

Young replied saying his analogy was great - “but what he didn’t say is that the council’s already put weed killer down. That’s the end of that tree”.

The investigation into the micro-grants is expected to take two weeks.

Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.