Photo courtesy: https://www.newzealand.com/
Many hospitality establishments along Karangahape Road in Auckland have been compelled to close or relocate due to challenging economic conditions, including some long-standing restaurants.
K Road restaurant Madame George announced its closure last week, citing the economic downturn as a reason that made it “impossible to continue” after nearly ten years on the iconic street.
“After eight years of serving our K’ Road community with passion and dedication, the current economic downturn has made it impossible for us to continue,” owner Pablo Arrasco Paz said in a Facebook post.
Fabio Bernardini, the owner and chef of the Latin restaurant Tempero, located near Madame George, said that the once vibrant area is now largely deserted and struggling to survive.
“Pretty much 10 weeks after we opened, we opened on July 11th last year. It started to drop, and it started to get really, really difficult,” he said.
According to Fabio, the economy is impacting individuals in various ways, and the choices made by local councils and the government have not been beneficial for businesses.
“They’re taking parking away. They’re good for charging things like an outside outdoor licence, which is tricky to get. We need it to serve alcohol; we need it for food.”
Fabio said having an outdoor area also poses risks due to the street, as tables and chairs may be stolen. Additionally, there are individuals who can be aggressive or disruptive to customers.
He emphasised that the council needed to take some responsibility and should explore various options to assist businesses with their outdoor licenses, security, and parking concerns.
A series of closures have already been witnessed in K Road. The underground bar and music venue Wine Cellar held its final night of operation on Saturday. Peter Gordon’s waterfront restaurant, Homeland, announced its closure in March.