The Lyttelton Harbour Business Association is aiming to answer that question at its next Bizz Buzz Night meeting on Tuesday.
The idea branched from its most recent Bizz Buzz, where property developer Alex Wang spoke about being approached by vape and liquor businesses asking to rent out his new building on London St. The new apartment block building, which replaced the old Harbour Light Theatre, has space below for businesses or community use.
“This next meeting is a conversation of what do we want, what businesses do we want in the area, what do we want Lyttelton to be in five to 10 years?”
Eruption Brewing co-owner Steve Leftly says Lyttelton should use what makes the town unique.
“I see Lyttelton as a top visitor location with a real thriving creative hub of artists and a totally different vibe than what’s going on through the tunnel,” he said. “I guess it’s just a matter of projecting that it’s got it’s own village feel.”
Leftly is supportive of accelerating the process for getting Lyttelton Museum back up and running.
“That’s a real cornerstone asset of the history of Lyttelton and its formation. We’re really interested in trying to drive that forward somehow,” he said.
Said Saunders “We're coming into an election year, we want to be able to have a voice to go to the politicians and say: This is where we're struggling, this is where we could use some help,” she said.
"Council's going towards their long-term plan strategy not this year but the year after and it's important for us to have these conversations so that we can voice our needs.”
“People have come to Lyttelton to practice their art forms, whether that’s setting up a really specific hobby store, Japanese/Māori fusion food at Super (restaurant). It’s all really specific and done well by local people,” she said.
"I feel like our brand is just local.”
The owner of the Super restaurant on Norwich Quay, Sahni Bennett, said one of Lyttelton’s strong points is residents do not worry about how the town is perceived by the rest of the world.
“I think it’s a really solid platform for people to nurture their individual selves without being pulled in the direction of any kind of norm, because there is no norm here,” Bennett said.
She would like to see more short-term accommodation and more investment in Lyttelton Harbour's marine life. But she does not want “awful copy and paste” houses built.
Super front of house worker, Sofia Heke, is a fashion designer and would like to see more support for local artists.
"Everyone’s always saying it would be nice to turn something into a dedicated space,” she said.
Heke was also against the gentrification of Lyttelton.
“I wouldn’t like the idea of modern, yuck apartments. I would hate for it to become a town that’s really expensive to live in,” she said.
Saunders believes Lyttelton is a melting pot of various things and it should be embraced.
“It’s (Lyttelton) growing, I feel like it's got a buzz around it.”
- The Bizz Buzz meeting will be held at Eruption Brewing on London St at 7pm on Tuesday
