Closure cost 50% of business: retailer

A Dunedin businessman opposed to the planned George St changes says the negative impact of Glow Dunedin on his business is conclusive proof the partial closure of the road would be harmful to smaller retailers.

Another retailer says he and a group of like-minded business owners are starting a petition to "save" the street.

George St was closed to northbound traffic over a five-day period last month for the show, which involved light installations, live performances, and sound and light displays.

Void owner Neil Gaudin said he had crunched the numbers for four days and the overall result was a 50% reduction in sales.

"I can only make one conclusion from these results: the removal of 50% of the traffic from my George St block for those four days resulted in a 50% reduction in traffic into the CBD, and this resulted in a 50% reduction in sales.

"All other external factors remained the same. Only one thing changed: the traffic was restricted."

The show was a trial of what the area might look and feel like in the future, under the preliminary concept plans for George St, which would turn parts into a southbound one-way street.

Mr Gaudin, who had already publicly expressed misgivings about the plans, described the commercial value of Glow as "undeniably negative".

"The unintended consequences of the partial changes could be extreme indeed: would the council staff like to work full-time for half-pay on an ongoing basis, because that is exactly what they could be imposing on me."

Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said the feedback "highlights the importance of everyone having their say", but feedback from a debrief with the chamber's retail committee revealed members thought the increased foot traffic was positive.

Mr Gaudin's shop is based in pedestrian lane Albion Pl, off George St.

Other shops in the area have reported mixed reactions to Glow.

Alchemy Equipment manager Carmel van Turnhout, who kept the store open later, said the show had been good for business.

Brent Weatherall Jeweller owner Brent Weatherall said the Glow light show was outside his trading hours - but traffic restrictions over the period had affected courier drivers who usually delivered to the store before 10am. They were delayed until about 4pm in the afternoon, and struggled for parking.

"I'm still yet to speak to any property owner or business owner, rather than employee, that is happy with it, not one," he said.

"I am in the process of [creating] a petition in regards to saving our main street."

Dunedin city councillor Aaron Hawkins said he did not want to respond to individual feedback, and would wait for overall feedback.