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Where have all the people gone? The answer to that question is what central city cafes and retailers in Dunedin want to know.
Shop and cafe owners say the streets are quieter than usual.
Most think it is because people are still working from home, but many staff from bigger organisations in the CBD have returned to working in the office.
Most of the staff at law firm Anderson Lloyd had returned to work in its Moray Pl offices.
Chief executive Richard Greenaway said it wanted to support local business and staff were keen to get back.
IRD, in Rattray St, said it had flexible working arrangements with its 130 Dunedin staff. It could not give specific numbers, as it changed from day to day.
ACC, in Maclaggan St, said it was encouraging staff who wanted to do so to return to the offices under Alert Level 2.
Doc said 10% of its 80 Dunedin staff had chosen to work from home.
One of Dunedin’s largest employers, University of Otago said many of its 4000 staff were continuing to work from home, particularly those who were vulnerable.
One thing likely to make a difference to central city cafes is that 200-plus city council staff are still logging on from home every day.
The council was encouraging staff to work from home if they could or if they were vulnerable for health reasons.
Colin Lim, owner of Octagon business I Love Merino, said there had been significantly less foot traffic around the Octagon, which he put down to workers, particularly council staff, still working from home.
Moray Gallery owner John Timmins said over the past couple of weeks it had been ‘‘very quiet’’ though it had started to pick up slightly in the last few days because of the school holidays, he believed.
Sarah Hussey, who owns three cafes around the city centre, said her staff were noticing significantly less foot traffic which was impacting businesses.
‘‘First we lose the tourists, which is a big part of our summer trade and we hoped we could survive on a loyal regulars, but someone who [normally] works in town but is working from home in Mosgiel is not going to come all the into the city for a coffee,’’ Mrs Hussey said
Business South chief executive Mike Collins said businesses needed to encourage staff to get vaccinated so normality could return as soon as possible.
It was also vital people supported local businesses, which were struggling at the moment, he said.