Letters to the editor: Alfresco dining charges ‘disgusting’

Tauranga CBD and Mount Maunganui businesses offering on-street dining will pay a rental fee based on the size of public space used. Photo / Andrew Warner

Regarding fees for alfresco dining at Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, I think the charges are disgusting.

Tauranga is already dead and we don’t even bother going there unless it’s to the library. It’s really just too depressing there.

The Mount had always been more vibrant but this will just be another nail in the coffin for coffee/ food businesses.

These fees are a major mistake.

Jenny Mathews

Katikati

Working from home

Our local Pāpāmoa cafes certainly like having people work from home. Very few do more than two or three days at home and really this is a trend CBD needs to adjust to.

The benefit to reduction in traffic and the environment is a real factor especially now with growth outside the city like Pāpāmoa etc.

Business must adjust or move as it is detrimental to all trying to force so many into one central point every day. We build huge suburban malls and soon-to-be-launched industrial sites far from the city and then expect the CBD to remain the main centre point.

The traffic is a nightmare and costly now and will only get worse. Face reality - public transport is poor and cars will remain so less people traveling is a plus.

John Macredie

Pāpāmoa Beach

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