Can the retailing upturn in Upper Hutt be maintained?

"Good news for retailing" the Upper Hutt Leader screamed on its front page. Up 9.4% on a year ago the Leader says.

But what the Colin Williams story failed to say was that this upsurge was inflated to some extent on the back of the effects of the earthquake on Lower Hutt and its Westfield Mall . The Westfield Mall was more than "cut "in half and its movies complex decimated. This also had a marked affect on shoppers steering clear of the mall which totally dominates retailing in the Hutt Valley and beyond.

There was a time late last year when on occasions Upper Hutt's Main Street CBD was car-filled and almost seething with pedestrians.

So don't expect this to linger to the extent it reached pre-Xmas 2016 but some momentum could be maintained if the UHCC got serious in re-inventing the CBD

More messages from your neighbours

4 days ago

Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️‍💥❔

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What has a head but no brain?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

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27 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.

Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.

Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?

Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!