Rotorua retailers welcome Easter Sunday trading

Rotorua retailers say opening on Easter Sunday has been overwhelmingly worthwhile.

This was the second year retailers were allowed to open on the day, following the passing of a bylaw in 2016.

The manager of women's fashion store Envy, Jacqui Walbrick, said this was the first year it had been open on Easter Sunday and it had been "crazy busy".

She said the owners decided to open the store to make the most of the busy weekend.

"We had such a busy day of trade on Saturday and Sunday and there were lots of people around," she said.

Robert Harris owner Manroop Grewal said opening on Easter Sunday made sense. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

She said the weekend had been the best they had had in a while.

"We've just reopened and got new owners so that has helped too. There's a lot of hype."

Walbrick said the store would definitely consider opening again next year.

Be Rude Not To cafe owner Priscilla Reid opened the cafe for the first time this Easter Sunday and said it had been "brilliant".

"I think it met our expectations. What I loved to see was a whole lot of families and the vibe of a family coming together around food," Reid said.

"We're really grateful the bylaw was passed. It was worthwhile and I don't think it took the emphasis away of what Easter is all about."

Reid said in general, the summer period had been on par with last year.

Be Rude Not To cafe owners Anthony and Priscilla Reid got the busy Easter Sunday they hoped for. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Robert Harris owner Manroop Grewal said opening on Easter Sunday made sense.

"We want more people to be opening up. That drives people into the city and drives business," he said.

"Saturday was crazy busy and Sunday was busier than normal."

The cafe had also opened last Easter but Grewal said business was up at least 20 per cent on the previous year.

Be Rude Not To cafe owners Anthony and Priscilla Reid got the busy Easter Sunday they hoped for. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Grewal said the multiple events over the summer had been good for business, particularly when events were held in the city centre.

Graham Brownrigg, the i-site executive manager, said accommodation had been hard to find at the weekend and it had been busier this year than last.

"We're up from last year and certainly accommodation was hard to come by," Brownrigg said.

"I was driving out of town towards Tauranga on Saturday morning and the queue of cars coming into Rotorua was back up to the airport."

He said the city had a lot of day visitors and domestic visitors and he'd also seen lots of cars with boats or mountain bikes on them.

A staff member at the Great New Zealand Shop on Pukuatua St said business had been steady on Easter Sunday but overall it was slightly slower than this time last year.

"It was busier than I thought it was going to be," she said.

"But this time last year we had the Lions tour which made a huge difference."

A bill to allow councils to decide if retailers can open on Easter Sunday was passed in August 2016 and some Rotorua shops were open for business for the first time last Easter.

Rotorua Lakes Council's Easter Sunday Trading Policy:
- Adopted February 27, 2017
- Made under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 which was amended in 2016
to allow territorial authorities to have a policy to permit shops to open on Easter Sundays 
- Aims to meet demand for goods and services from visitors and residents in Rotorua during the Easter holiday weekend
- The policy must be reviewed no later than five years after it was adopted.