Mall traffic ban ‘not hurting trade’

Press, 20 January 1982, Page 1

Mall traffic ban ‘not hurting trade’

Businesses in the Cashel and High Streets areas now closed to traffic for construction of the City Mall expect the mall to be good for trade.

Many said yesterday that the closing of the streets was not hurting trading. People were slowly getting used ,to being able to walk freely along the streets. Some shops owners had praise for the Mall workmen now based in Cashel Street, near the Bridge of Remembrance.

"They are working well,” said a grocer. A bazaar owner said that the workmen were being especially considerate in that they were piling spoil from excavations in the gutter, and nof "scaring old ladies." by putting tools on the footpath or using their machines recklessly. That had happened on previous sites, he said.

Two of the bigger stores in the area in High Street, Woolworths and Hallensteins,

reported that trade had not been altered either way by the closing. Spokesmen for both stores said they expected that the finished mall would be popular. A spokesman for a camera store in Cashel Street was not so optimistic. “People like to be double-park and rush in arid drop off their film,” he said. As parking would obviously not be allowed within the mall, he expected that trade could drop. In High Street some shop spokesmen said the fact that customers could not stop outside their store would be a disadvantage, especially in wet weather. In Cashel Street, spokesmen said that this would not worry them because extra parking would be available in Lichfield Street.

The effect of the closing for street works would be easier to judge in winter, said others. Because it was now holiday time, visitors

could be boosting the numbers of shoppers.

No cars are allowed in the areas, and goods delivery vehicles can enter only before 11 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

A spokesman for the Christchurch,. City -Council traffic engineer’s department said that-sonje people ar-, rived at thejjarrier in private cars' which . they said were fob? delivery 1 purposes. They could not ehter-because the rule was laid down by special order,, which was almost a .tgwn .plahnjng procedure? he'said? ■ ..

urge those in this position.'to consider any possible'alterriative,” he said. As a "last resort,” those who had to make deliveries could apply in writing to the city engineer, for permission to take their car into the pedestrian areas. A licence could then be issued depending on the merits of each application, the spokesman said.