Media release – 22 July 2015

New life for empty shops

While a recent feature on Duncan Garner’s Westpac Grassroots Road Trip showed empty retail spaces on Victoria Avenue, Mayor Annette Main says the district is not in decline and empty spaces are not unique to Whanganui.

“The changing face of retail internationally is causing empty shops, but this isn’t unique to our district.”

Mayor Main says Whanganui and Partners, the organisation which drives economic development, is proactively creating more retail opportunities in Whanganui, while the Wanganui District Council is looking at different ways to use empty shops to revitalise the town centre.

“We may not be seeing as many retailers in the central business district as we have done traditionally, but it doesn’t mean our local economy is in decline.

“Whanganui and Partners has been working with local companies to review supply chains and identify any suppliers from outside of Whanganui to see if they can work with established operations here. Other target sectors and companies have been identified and business cases are being developed to pitch to them.”

Mayor Main says the Council is also working to revitalise the town centre by creating a centrally located library complex and an innovation quarter for knowledge economy entrepreneurs.

“The knowledge economy makes use of ultrafast broadband, which is available to every business and household in our district to create sophisticated production and employment opportunities for highly skilled people.”

Mainstreet Wanganui, which represents organisations in town centre, is also taking advantage of the increased space.

“We have groups of artists and other innovators beginning to take leases on premises which have been empty.

“Other town centres around the world which have lost retail space because of changes to the industry have developed hubs in the centre of town to revitalise the area with great success. As an innovative and creative district, we are aware of changes to traditional retail and are already making moves to create the kind of buzzing, community hub we want to see in future.”

ENDS

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