Nelson CBD nears capacity ahead of Christmas

The tills will be ringing at more stores in Nelson’s CBD this summer, with retail almost at capacity ahead of Christmas.

In a statement, Uniquely Nelson’s Simon Duffy said there were only six retail tenancies in the CBD listed on Trade Me, with two of them currently with retail tenants operating – Nelson Arty and Taylors Shoes on Trafalgar St.

There were no hospitality venues currently advertised for lease and commercial leases were also limited, Duffy said.

The full streets are a far cry from 2018, when Nelson artist Anne Rush was commissioned by Nelson City Council (NCC) to investigate what could be done with the high number of empty retail spaces.

At that time, there were 36 vacant city centre shops bound by Rutherford, Collingwood, and Halifax streets and Selwyn Pl, and the city was described as dying, Rush said.

“It was a sad state of affairs, but it also offered an opportunity for the region’s artists and community groups to occupy vacant shops between tenancies.”

Make/Shift Spaces Incorporated was set up as a result, an initiative that sees a range of artists, creatives, community and special interest groups fill empty spaces with vibrant installations and activity.

Rush said this year Make/Shift Spaces had struggled to find vacant shops to activate, especially in recent months.

“Almost everywhere is full at the moment, but there is always an ebb and flow with city spaces,” she said.

Instead, artwork had been commissioned for building walls and installed on business doors; there had been a spring clean and the Nelson City Centre ArtWalk was proving very popular, Rush said.

Duffy said despite the country’s recessionary winter, Nelson had been filling up with both small independent retailers and food outlets, and national chains.

“The city is looking really full at the moment,” he said.

A Movers and Groovers campaign was also launched to inform the public of new or moving businesses and since then the CBD had welcomed bubble tea shop Wucha, chiropractors The Chiro Pad, and Cook’s Corner, all on Hardy St, and ONE NZ has opened again, in a new spot on Bridge St, Duffy said.

Before the four Morrison Square retailers moved to the CBD, the city had not been as empty as it was back in 2018 and 2019, which was testament to the choice being offered by retailers and hospitality to the local community, and the community’s support, he said.

“There has definitely been an increase in non-retail service providers in the city, but again, this is in answer to what the community wants here, and they still bring people into the CBD to go on to shop or eat.”

“With spaces full, baskets up, and the city having had a recent spring clean, the place is looking fab – a lovely environment for shopping and eating.”

By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail