Businesses call for Totaranui road repair as local economy suffers
Businesspeople in Golden Bay say that the closure of the road to Totaranui has had a detrimental effect on the economy here.
Not all the businesspeople spoken to gave specifics, but it is clear that many businesses have had a less busy summer than they were expecting. A number of factors may be responsible, including some negative reporting in the media. There was a short period during which some potential visitors changed their holiday plans because it was reported that the whole eastern end of Golden Bay was inaccessible.
Roger Tait from Fresh Choice says the absence of the 800 to 900 campers that normally flock into Totaranui has been significant.
“It’s had quite an impact on us. The campers usually stock up on the way in and then come out for a shop as well. The people going in by the shuttle aren’t able to take the perishables that they used to. When they’re towing a trailer over with a fridge and so on they’re able to take more in. We’re down at least 10 per cent on previous years, but it’s hard to say how much of that is about the loss of the Totaranui campers. The Christchurch earthquakes have made a difference too, but it would be a sad day for the Bay if the Totaranui road wasn’t restored.”
Christine Black at Hammer Hardware says she thinks sales are about 10 per cent down on previous years as well.
“The campers are important to our business at this time of the year. I think the retailers need to be proactive about this. It would be a great time to start a business association again. Maybe we could be a subcommittee of the Promotions Association.”
Paddy Gilloolly, the president of Golden Bay Promotions, welcomed the suggestion.
“There’s already a Mainstreet Committee that just needs to reactivated. It would be great if some businesspeople got it going again.”
Paddy contacted the members of the Promotions Association, asking if they thought their businesses had been adversely affected by the closure of the Totaranui road. Several had responded saying that they had felt the impact, even in the western Bay.
“Totaranui and Awaroa are popular places for day-trippers as well as campers. People are likely to stay an extra night in their accommodation if they’ve got those sorts of places to go for the day. Business is significantly down, but the amount can’t be just attributed to the loss of the Totaranui campers. The fact that Christchurch has had such a hammering is important as well.”
Paddy said that anecdotal evidence from Motueka businesses suggested that the accommodation industry there was not doing so badly, but retailers were feeling the pinch. “They say the people are there but they’re not going into the shops.”
Kim Moir from Take Note has spoken to many businesspeople in Takaka and says there seems little doubt of the closure’s economic effects. Her business has definitely suffered, she says. Kim has been working with Cheryl Elsey from Feel Good Food with a view to possibly reactivating the Mainstreet Committee.
The road’s closure has had a “dramatic” effect on the Pohara Store, say Russell and Shona Martin, who usually run a popular phone-order service for Totaranui campers. They are very hopeful that the road will be reopened.
Tasman District Councils’s communications adviser Chris Choat said no decisions had been reached.
“While Tasman District Council manages Totaranui Road, its status as a special purpose road means it is 100 per cent funded by the NZTA. As such, the NZTA will be funding work to restore access to this area. We’re currently working closely with Tasman District Council to identify a solution for providing reliable public access, and this could involve restoring the existing route or other potential options. We’re looking at this as part of the overall recovery package for the Golden Bay area, which is being funded from the NZTA’s Emergency Works fund. It’s too early to say when decisions will be made as we’re still in the process of weighing up the options. The engineers are there on 31 January and 1 February, literally walking the road to inform the decision-making.”
Neil Wilson
