‘F’ for facelift

BY IMOGEN NEALE

When Papakura MP Judith Collins gets worked up about Papakura’s town centre all the F words come out. Fish, frocks, food, Farmers ...

"We have the best fish shop in Papakura for anywhere – and I know a lot about fish," she says.

"And Farmers is a great place to get black skirts – I get my long skirts there because I have to sit in the front row of things all the time and you can imagine you don’t want a short skirt."

But she’s concerned "good quality businesses" will shut up shop if something isn’t done to reinvigorate Papakura’s retail centre.

"We’ve just lost our last menswear store and face losing similar retailers to Manukau and Pukekohe."

Papakura District Council has spent $6.1 million to upgrade the town centre and "we should be seeing businesses investing in the area".

And she’s thinking big, saying Papakura could use the move to a supercity as a chance to give the town’s image an overhaul.

"It’s really more about becoming a destination shopping area for people who don’t necessarily want to go into a big shopping mall."

More should also be made of local food producers, the crowds that travel out to Clevedon’s farmers market and people who live around Papakura who have money to spend.

"What we need to do is bring these people in here and have a reason for them to come."

ColourPlus owner and operator Allen Poole agrees Papakura’s image needs a boost.

"We really need to do something – people seem to have a bad impression of Papakura."

He puts that down to too many liquor shops, negative media coverage and landlords who charge high rents and let their properties fall into disrepair.

"Some of the landlords need a kick up the backside," he says.

He believes one simple solution would be to put displays in the widows of vacant shops "so town doesn’t look deserted".

One Red Chilli cafe owner Fiona Grayson says having the bus stops on the main street creates intimidating crowds of loitering youth.

"Why not put the bus stops on the side streets? It would create a better retail environment. The high street needs to have better quality shops – there are other places where bus stops and $2 shops can be."

Council spokesman Mark Baker says the council runs regular seminars to encourage people to invest in the town centre and has compiled a marketing package containing infor-mation about demographics and business infrastructure.

And it has a continuing upgrade programme for buildings and business owners in the town centre. Run by the town centre manager, the programme provides free paint in a selected range of colours.

And as far as $2 shops are concerned, he says discount stores are a part of every business community and their presence in the town centre makes Papakura no different from Pukekohe or Manukau.

"Pukekohe has a shorter main street yet it has a total of nine such stores and four empty shops," he says.

Ms Collins says she is keen to hear residents’ ideas about reviving Papakura’s retail centre and has given people until to Christmas to get in touch.

"People won’t come if we don’t have the businesses and business won’t come if we don’t have the people. So what have we got to do it kick-start it?"

Suggestions can be sent to office@judithcollins.co.nz or PO Box 72646, Papakura.

- © Fairfax NZ News