Carolyn Young: Retail NZ chief executive on Wellington businesses calling for the council to reconsider Golden Mile project

There's more criticism of central city roadworks in Wellington.

Retail NZ, Hospitality NZ and the Bus and Coach Association are asking the council to review its Golden Mile pedestrianizing project.

A number of businesses say roadworks and cycleway projects have forced them to close.

Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says it's 'disappointing' that mayor Tory Whanau says the Golden Mile is a bottom line.

"We know that the issues around Thorndon Quay are significant, that businesses have really struggled and are closing."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now listen. In Wellington, the opposition against the constant roadworks
has just gone up a notch. Retail New Zealand, Hospitality
New Zealand and the Bus and Coach Association have banded
together the calling on the Council to stop the plans
to develop the Golden Mile. Carolyn Young is the chief
executive at Retail New Zealand. Hey, Carolyn, how's it going good?
Thank you?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Now?

Speaker 1 (00:19):
Is this because Tory was on the radio here on
newstalksz'd be this morning and said it's a bottom line,
the Golden Mile.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
No, it's not. We were talking about this last week.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
You know.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Obviously there's a lot of in the media last week
and of course the vote around the airport shares was
taken on Thursday, and we felt it's a really good
opportunity for us to reiterate the need to take stock,
have a pause and consult whither around what is the
right thing we need so we go forward.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
When you heard her say this morning, then it's like
nothing else is the bottom line, but Golden Mile is
the bottom line. How did you feel?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well? Pretty disappointed really, because we know that the issues
around Thorn and Key are significant that businesses have really
struggled and businesses are closing now, taking the opportunity right
now to sit down and find out how this could
be done better and understanding the environment that businesses are
trading and right now it's an extremely difficult trading environment.

(01:13):
Businesses are struggling anyway. And then when you've got you know,
hundreds of meters of road cones and fences up in
front of your entrance, people don't know if you're open
or not open, there's no where to park, they're not
coming through, and all of the businesses John Thorne and
Key have really struggled. So it's really an opportunity to
stop and think, how could we do this better, and

(01:35):
what parts of Thorn and Key do we need to
complete as to the plan and what would be better
to think a little bit differently, and then thinking about
Courtney Place, you know, actually do a little bit more
consultation with businesses. Don't rush in and try and get
it started early. Let's take our time.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Understand your problem is you're a real person operating in
the real world. They're not what they haven't listened to you, Carolyn,
and now why are they going to listen to you?

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Well, all we can do this. So there's three business associations,
so Hospitality New Zealand, Retail in New Zealand, and the
Bus Approach Association. We're an agreement that more needs to
be done.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
So basically, are you going to make them listen to
you by just harping at them?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, sure, we're hoping that we well we have regular
meetings with the council and we give them regular feedback
and I'm not sure that we're being listening to. So,
you know, getting out and getting a bit more forward thinking,
a bit more media in front of it, hopefully you'll
get a little bit more traction.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, good, good luck. I really hope you guys actually
succeed with us. This seems like a really stupid idea.
Carolyn Young, chief executive at Retail New Zealand. For more
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