Hon Gerry

Brownlee

Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration

23 September 2016 Media Statement

Christchurch continuing to bounce back

The Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration Gerry Brownlee says the latest spending figures from Statistics New Zealand are further proof of the city’s ongoing recovery success.

Statistics New Zealand has today released its Christchurch Retail Trade Indicator for the June 2016 quarter.

It shows the total retail and hospitality spending rose 2 per cent and, in actual terms, was $1.9 billion for the quarter, up 4.8 per cent from the same quarter last year.

“This is great news for Christchurch’s economy, recovery and residents,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Statistics New Zealand says the trend for the combined retail and hospitality sales in Christchurch has risen 34 per cent in the six years since the June 2010 quarter, just before the region’s earthquake sequence began.

“This is higher than the 28 per cent rise witnessed at a national level over the same period.

“Given the scale of the recovery and the widespread destruction the earthquakes caused, I am heartened by these latest figures.

“There are new hospitality outlets opening and new retail tenants being signed up all the time.

“After the successful opening of stage one of the BNZ Centre in the retail precinct, stage two is on track to open in December this year and will include Michael Hill, Pandora, Spark and New Zealand fashion store Repertoire.

“Construction of another retail precinct development, ANZ Centre, is well under way and is expected to be complete early next year.

“The Crossing development is also progressing well and will offer the South Island’s first Topshop and Topman stores.

“All signs are pointing to a bumper Christmas shopping season in the regenerating central city, with plenty of offerings available in both the retail and innovation precincts and other parts of the city’s core.”

The Christchurch retail trade indicator has provided information on the state of the retail and hospitality industries since the September 2010 earthquake.

As there is now decreased demand for this type of information, Statistics New Zealand will discontinue the series after the September 2016 quarter, which will be published in December.

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