Reading Cinemas in Wellington suddenly closed due to quake risk

Saturday, 5 January 2019

Libby Dearnley evacuated her small business from the Reading Cinema building on Courtenay Place due to earthquake risk (Video published in 2019).

A popular movie theatre and food court in Wellington has been suddenly closed due to earthquake risks.

Courtenay Central, which houses several businesses within the cinema complex, will close until further notice while an assessment is completed.

Management told businesses and tenants of the closure early on Saturday morning. They were ordered to be out by midday.

A draft report from independent engineers said there were potential risks in an earthquake to parts of the building, according to a statement.

Wellington City Council respond to the shock evacuation of Reading Cinema's building due to earthquake risk. (Video first published on January 2019)

* Reading cinemas confirms damage as complex prepares to open

* Reading's Courtenay Central expansion in doubt**

'The safety and wellbeing of our patrons, employees and tenants is of the utmost importance to us and as such out of an abundance of caution we have taken action to close the building until further notice,' it said.

Wellington City Council business engagement manager Phil Becker said the council was advised on Friday night.

Notices explaining why the cinema building has been closed have been pasted on the front doors.

The risks outlined in the report had not previously been detected but Becker said the council was not 'across the technical details' yet.

Becker said he did not know how long Reading had the draft report, but the decision to close the building was made as soon as they were able.

Shocked tenants have been given immediate notice to move out of Reading Cinema's building on Courtenay Place, Wellington, due to earthquake risk. Libby Dearnley, owner of Craft Central, assists staff in packing up.

He said council was pleased they were able to consider if there were any implications for public safety.

'We've been advised and assured there is not, so that's where it is at the moment,' he said.

Customers with movie tickets can redeem their tickets at Reading Cinemas Porirua.

Businesses inside the complex include an ANZ bank, McDonald's, NZ Post, Reading Cinemas, Shake Shed & Co, STA Travel and Unichem Pharmacy.

The complex was closed for a number of months after it was damaged in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, and an adjacent car park deemed quake prone was demolished. It reopened in March 2017.

Owner of Craft Central Libby Dearnley said as soon as the owners found out there were issues with the building, they called the business.

'We've had to move fast but they've been fantastic about it considering the circumstances. But as of today we don't have a shop. But neither does anyone in the Reading complex. We're just taking stuff out as fast possible to make sure it's safe and secure.'

Management told the business 'very early [Saturday] morning', and told tenants they wanted them out by midday at the latest, Dearnley said.

'They'd like us out even sooner than that because obviously the less time you're in here, the safer it is.'

Dearnley's first priority, as well as other businesses', was getting their stock out of the building safely, she said.

'We've had a huge number of people help out, we'll actually have it out quite easily. We're actually finding the process quite easy.'

Dearnley said now the business needed to look at whether they'd open a shop elsewhere, or wait to hear 'how quick the fix is'.

Every tenant in the building was in the 'exact same boat'.

'We hope it can get sorted soon … because it's an amazing space.'

The news came as a surprise, Dearnley said, as management did 'a lot of earthquake strengthening' before reopening the facility.

'This has come completely out of the blue, we had no idea there were any issues with the building.'

A cinema worker who didn't want to be named said management had kept businesses and staff 'constantly informed', and they were looking to honour rosters and pay while the complex was closed.

Courtenay Central has been approached for further comment.