Art Deco 'sinking under shop signs'

Napier businesses will be asked to ditch their sandwich boards and tidy up their signs under a proposal that seeks to preserve the city's Art Deco heritage.

Mayor Barbara Arnott last night encouraged shop owners and businesses in the central business district to work together to rid the Art Deco capital of unnecessary sandwich boards and garish signs.

Only 60 shop and business owners out of an invited total of 700 turned up to hear her speak on the topic at the Hawkes Bay Museum . But the support they showed was unanimous.

Thousands of visitors flock to Napier every year - many attracted by its Art Deco buildings and unique heritage.

But Mrs Arnott wants shop owners and businesses in the inner city, particularly the Art Deco Heritage area, to do more to improve the city's heart and its growing reputation as an interesting place to visit, work and invest.

As part of the continuing improvement, Napier City Council is about to review its signs policy, and Mrs Arnott called the meeting with business owners and inner city stakeholders to discuss how Art Deco heritage can be enhanced while still giving businesses the opportunity to promote themselves.

Mrs Arnott gave a presentation, showing the difference between Napier streets currently strewn with signs, and a proposed sleeker option of using less signs and Art Deco-style designs.

She was the first to admit the council needed to take its own street signs down and place them instead on walls or pavements - which she added would be made a priority so people could see the difference.

"A lot of the council signs for street names and parking are unnecessary and they don't have to be on poles sticking out like a sore thumb. They can be included in the actual facade of the building instead.

"Napier is the Art Deco capital of the world. This is incredibly important to us as a city in New Zealand, and a city of our size.

"But I think we can get smarter and add more value to the CBD."

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY