4 Apr 2022

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Christchurch City Council is looking at ways to help the city’s struggling retail and hospitality sectors rebound from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those sectors have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 restrictions, with anecdotal evidence suggesting several businesses are failing each week.

“It is important for our economy and the vibrancy of our city that we support our retail and hospitality sectors and help them to get back on their feet,’’ says Council Head of Facilities, Property and Planning Bruce Rendall.

“We have brought together a working group that includes the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, the Central City Business Association, ChristchurchNZ and others to look at the actions we can take to help struggling businesses survive.

“We’re working on ideas for attracting workers back to the office and ways that we can encourage citizens to eat, play and shop locally across Christchurch,’’ Mr Rendall says. “We want to give businesses confidence and hope that they can survive.

“We’re also looking at how we can reduce the costs for businesses. On Thursday the Council will consider a report which recommends waiving licensing fees for hospitality and food retail businesses for the next six months

“This is a step that we can take immediately and one small way that we can help support these businesses,’’ Mr Rendall says.

Waiving the licensing fees for six months will cost the Council about $1.45 million in lost revenue.

In the report for Thursday’s Council meeting, Mr Rendall says the majority of the businesses under stress are small to medium-sized enterprises that are owned by and operated by local residents.

“This means the stresses being felt are not just a business problem – they are a whole of community problem,’’ his report says.

“If these businesses continue to fail, then we could see a scenario where unemployment goes up, mental illness and suicide increases, our communities become more disconnected, and poverty increases. To counter this negative cycle, this report advocates for a modest proactive, preventative course of action to improve confidence.’’

Read the full report.