Nelson CBD nears capacity as shops move in and around
As the city heads into summer, the Nelson CBD is looking ‘beautiful’ with retail almost at capacity, says Uniquely Nelson’s Simon Duffy.
There are currently only six retail tenancies up for grabs (on Trademe), with two of them currently with retail tenants operating – Nelson Arty and Taylors Shoes on Trafalgar Street. There are no hospitality venues currently advertised for lease. Commerical leases are also limited.
The full streets are a far cry from 2018, when Nelson artist Anne Rush was commissioned by NCC to investigate what could be done with the high number of empty retail spaces in the city centre.
“In 2018, there were 36 vacant city centre shops bound by Rutherford, Collingwood, and Halifax streets and Selwyn Place. Media commentary at the time described a dying city with many of the buildings awaiting earthquake strengthening and revitalisation,” Rush says. “It was a sad state of affairs, but it also offered an opportunity for the region’s artists and community groups to occupy vacant shops between tenancies. We set up Make/Shift Spaces Incorporated as a result of consultation with the community, landlords and Nelson City Council.”
Make/Shift Spaces works with a whole range of artists, creatives, community and special interest groups to fill empty spaces with vibrant installations and activity. Some of the spaces have also been used to tell stories about the community, with window displays and images.
Rush says this year Make/Shift Spaces has struggled to find vacant shops to activate, especially in recent months.
“Almost everywhere is full at the moment, but there is always an ebb and flow with city spaces,” she says. “So, instead of turning shop windows into art, we have run other activations, such commissioning art works on city building walls, running a city spring clean, installing artworks on 17 shop and business doors, and of course there is the Nelson City Centre ArtWalk, which is proving very popular.”
Simon Duffy says despite the country’s recessionary winter, Nelson city centre has been filling up with both small independent retailers and food outlets, and national chains.
“The city is looking really full at the moment,” he said. “We launched our Movers and Groovers campaign a month or so ago to inform the public about new or moving businesses, and even since then we have welcomed Bubble Tea shop Wucha, chiropractors The Chiro Pad, and Cook’s Corner, all on Hardy Street, and ONE NZ has opened again, in a new spot on Bridge Street.
“Before the four Morrison Square retailers moved to empty stores in the CBD, the city had not been anywhere near as empty as it was back in 2018 and 2019, which is a testament to the choice being offered by our retailers and hospitality to the local community, and the community’s support,” he says. “There has definitely been an increase in non-retail service providers in the city, but again, this is in answer to what the community wants here, and they still bring people into the CBD to go on to shop or eat.
“With spaces full, baskets up, and the city having had a recent spring clean, the place is looking fab - a lovely environment for shopping and eating!”
ENDS
