Market day stoush in Ashburton
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Key Ashburton retailers are opposed to a new CBD market day, saying further “restricted trading’’ is not what they need.
The proposed Ashburton Market Day would replace the now defunct Boulevard Day, but the application from organiser Carol Johns would mean the temporary closure of East St, Burnett St, and Tancred St on Monday, September 26.
Her proposal has received three objections, which will now go before the Ashburton District Council, with Johns to front Wednesday's hearing.
Ashburton Paper Plus owner Terry McNabb said he doesn’t have a problem with a market day, but “I do have a problem with holding it on the street”.
“For a few years now, we have had these days where the roads in the CBD get closed off but all we are doing is inviting out-of-town stall holders to park up outside our doors for the day.
“That does not help any of the locally owned and operated businesses in that area.”
McNabb said his business has had nothing but disruption for two years from Covid, the CBD redevelopment, and now a new demolition next door.
He said he operated two essential service businesses inside Paper Plus, those being NZ Post and AA Driver & Vehicle licensing, which served a lot of elderly customers whose access would be impacted.
Bob McDonald, from Health 2000 in the arcade, has submitted an objection on behalf of 15 CBD businesses that, like McNabb, “believe another day with restricted trading is not beneficial for the CBD”.
Because of the CBD’s new one-way system, McDonald said closing East St would “effectively shut down the whole CBD”.
McDonald and Sue Cooper used to run the popular Boulevard Day, which was unable to be held in 2020 because of Covid-19 restrictions. It then had to be held in Ashburton Domain last year due to the CBD being a construction zone, which was the first time in 45 years it was held outside of the inner-city location.
He and Cooper hoped to find someone new to take over the running of Boulevard Day this year but that had not happened.
That’s why Johns, who has previously run events on the same day as Boulevard Day and who is standing for a seat on the council in the local election, has stepped up to fill the void.
Her Ashburton Market Day proposal now falls to the council, with the hearing taking place at 9am on Wednesday.
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Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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84.7% Yes
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13.9% No
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