THURSDAY LATE NIGHT BEGINS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31985, 12 May 1969, Page 10

THURSDAY LATE NIGHT BEGINS

The introduction of Thursday night late shopping in Lyttelton last week was successful, considering the weather, according to shopkeepers.

Although there appeared to be little unusual activity in the streets shopkeepers claimed their takings were well up to the level of previous Friday nights and most persons felt that the change would be a success. The bad weather earlier in the day probably deterred many from planning a trip to Lyttelton, and the non-depart-ure of the Maori reduced the numbers in Lyttelton. The manager of Port Supermarket, Ltd (Mr W. Dodds), said that the day was better than an average Friday used to be. He said that he had been a little apprehensive because of the weather and the lack

of advertising before Thursday evening, but after 9 p.m. he felt confident the change was for the better.

He said that many people “from over the hill” were in Lyttelton and there were more local people than he expected. “And what is more they were not just looking—they were buying,” he said. A bookseller (Mr J. C. Tyro) said that there had been a definite improvement in trade in spite of the weather, and that the change seemed to be most promising. The change was sought by the retailers in the borough and the Canterbury Shop Assistants’ Union agreed to it.