Just two Eat Streat-based restaurants were open for breakfast yesterday, however owners say it's hard to strike the right balance on statutory holidays.
The Rotorua Daily Post reported earlier this month that visitors to the city were finding it hard to find a cafe or restaurant open for breakfast or brunch at Eat Streat, especially on public holidays.
When the Rotorua Daily Post visited the site at 10am yesterday just two businesses were open - Mac's Food and Wine and Solace Cafe and Restaurant. Other restaurants and bars were getting ready to open for lunch. However, just around the corner Picnic Licensed Cafe was open for breakfast as was Nando's up the road on Tutanekai St.
Auckland man Glenn Ackland brought his family down for breakfast at Mac's saying he was not surprised there were few places open for breakfast.
"It's not cheap to pay all those staff, especially if they want to be open all day.
"But, I love coming to Rotorua, it's a beautiful place," he said.
Mac's Food and Wine co-owner Bob Macfarlane said he had recently changed their name to widen their customer base and would be opening for breakfast every weekend during the high season.
However, he said it was difficult to find good, reliable staff as most of them already had work.
"To take advantage of high season you need good staff. We are experimenting to see if it really is worth our while.
"Long weekends are always good for Rotorua and we can see there's a need," Mr Macfarlane said.
Rotorua district councillor and Inner City revitalisation Strategy portfolio leader Karen Hunt said fine-tuning Eat Streat was a work in progress and there were always going to be teething problems with such a big project. "Eat Streat has totally exceeded expectations. The council is working with Eat Streat businesses and talking to them about our expectations and what they expect of us as well."
Mrs Hunt said Eat Streat was one major feature of the council's revitalisation project and there would be continued improvements.
Solace Cafe and Restaurant manager Sandra Graetz said breakfast was a core market for the business and they were trading well. "We have the sunny side [of the street] in the morning so it's ideal for us, we've been doing well.
"It works in our favour in general. Over Christmas and New Year the demand was far more than we could handle.
"If we want Eat Streat to work well it should be a place where people come to eat, we are not looking for everyone to be open ... or have a full breakfast menu, it's not practical," she said.