I have just read a report that a person who lives at the Mount visited Tauranga CBD, and was shocked at the state of the city.

He thought that the Covid lockdown was still in force, such was his impression of the “Tauranga ghost-town”. But, wait, he is obviously mistaken!  

The Mayor says Tauranga is in for an “exciting transformation”, and the Tauranga City Council CEO “supports the city centre revitalisation”.  Maybe Drysdale and Grenfell should get out from behind their desks and walk down the city end of Devonport Rd? They would see more “for lease” signs in shop windows than occupied retailers. The words that spring to mind are “sad”, “pathetic” and “underwhelming”.

No wonder there are so many empty stores because nobody wants to visit. Compare that to the shopping strip in Mount Maunganui. Always lots of people around, and no empty shops. The retail community there are obviously doing something right. The two-hour free parking in Tauranga was dumped because Commissioner Anne Tolley thought office workers were gaming the system. As if office people have nothing better to do than move their vehicles every two hours. I would suggest that when the CBD is attractive enough to visit, then, and only then, will retailers and visitors return.

Gary Kenny, Bethlehem