Businesses struggle amid Waikato town's multimillion dollar revitalisation
Friday, 5 April 2019
Tokoroa businesses are losing up to 70 per cent of their turnover three weeks into a major upgrade of the town's central business district.
The South Waikato District Council is investing just over $4 million into the revitalisation of Leith Pl which runs alongside State Highway 1.
The project, which is expected to take four to five months, is supposed to bring a much needed economic boost to the town but instead the construction phase has it looking like a ghost town.
While businesses have had months to prepare, the level of disruption has caught many by surprise.
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The southern entrance to the street has been completely dug up and fenced off, with the only access via the footpath, while the northern entrance has limited carparks which are quickly filled.
Ronnies Cafe Bakery staff member Wendy Poue said the bakery will likely 'die' as a result.
'It is really bad and our turnover has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent because there are no car parks.
'Early in the morning we usually had a lot of bushman who would call in and people who had been travelling for two or three hours but they are not stopping anymore.
'At lunchtime there are also no people around.
'If this goes on for four months we will die,' she said.
Poue said they were doing all they could to try and make things work.
'We have had to cut down everything that we are making but in the first week we didn't expect things to be this bad and we had to throw a lot away.
'It is very hard having to do that and we have also had to cut down staff hours because there is nothing for them to do.
While there are car parks in nearby streets she said it wasn't enough to attract customers.
'Because there is no parking [outside the shops] they don't come. It is too far for people to walk.
'They just drive past. It is like a ghost town,' she said.
She said the council was doing little to help the situation.
'They have told us we have to adjust ourselves. Why are they talking like that? It is like they don't care at all,' she said.
Highway Dairy manager Rocky Hu said sales had gone down by about 70 per cent and staff cutbacks were likely.
'We are experiencing hard times. I think the part time staff member will lose their job as we are not making enough.
'Now most people won't even come into the CBD,' he said.
Owner Leo Zhang said the council needs to make it a priority to speed things up.
'I have a camera outside and I can see what work is being done 24 hours a day and I find it very very slow.
'They shouldn't have closed the whole thing if it was going to be this slow,' he said.
Morrissey's clothing owner Larry Sullivan, who still has parks near his shop, said he hasn't been impacted as much as the food outlets but agreed progress needed to be faster.
'It is what it is and there is always going to be a construction period but the main issue is the lack of progress in the first three weeks.
'I am no expert in construction but there doesn't seem to be enough guys out there.
'I thought they would have gotten to this stage with three days,' he said.
Mayor Jenny Shattock has visited the businesses to hear their concerns.
She said she felt their pain but hoped the finished product would make it worthwhile.
'…I went with a flier just to update the Leith Pl retailers and businesses on what has happened so far and what is to be expected coming up the next week. I am going to do that on Fridays.
'Honestly I feel their pain, I really do.
'I guess we just have to keep focusing on the outcome which hopefully, when it is completed, will increase their turn over,' she said.
Shattock said the council was not in a position to help the businesses financially.
'One of the retailers did talk about compensation but unfortunately we can't do that. We can't use ratepayer's money to pay for businesses,' she said
She said there was no set date for the road and parks to be reinstated but the whole project is expected to be finished in four to five months.
'It is important to at least get the traffic flowing and the parking again so we are concentrating on the southern end.
'The sooner the better and I just thank the retailers for their patience. I think they are all keen for the upgrade to happen but the pain on the way is a bit tough,' she said.