Inner city returns to life: Evening diners pack bars and eateries, new businesses opening

A bunch of friends enjoy a few drinks waiting for their meal. Eateries and bars buzzing with people on this Thursday night in Bonjiri restaurant on Chancery Square. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Eateries and bars were buzzing with people on Friday May 27, with queues waiting outside a couple of restaurants at Chancery Square.

Yakitori chef Yoshihiro Tanaka says he hasn't had a breather since his restaurant, Bonjiri, opened that evening.

Owner Bedri Aktas, who opened the yakitori bar four months ago says business has been "picking up" and anticipates that it could soon get back to pre-Covid levels.

Aktas also owns SQ Bar, located at centre of the square, where evening business is also brisk.

Architect Ricky Do was out drinking there with five of his mates last Thursday, he says "life is back to being pretty normal now".

Four friends and flatmates at the near Confidential Bar and Eatery on Vulcan Lane say they meet there for drinks every Thursday - and have been doing so since Auckland got back to level Orange.

Hospitality student James Lam, 21, who was out with a group of 14 friends, says he was glad to be able to be able to hang out with his mates again - and there was "nothing else like the vibe of the city centre".

Roy Lin will be the manager of Lao Guangzhou hot pot when the business opens next month at the Mid City Mall. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

"This is what we did every week before the pandemic, but believe or not it's the first time we're out like this since we got to level orange," Lam said.

Marketing representative Jane Marquez, who has just returned to work after nearly a year of hybrid working, was having dinner with a colleague.

"It just feels good to feel a little bit normal again," she said.

The signs are that the inner city is slowly roaring back to life - at least in the evenings.

A bunch of work colleagues enjoy a few drinks at Confidential Bar on Vulcan Lane. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck says the organisation was working hard with other partners to create reasons for people to visit the city centre again.

"The number of people here has been tracking up recently and it has been great to see more people out enjoying the city centre again," Beck says.

"Covid has been a major disruptor and some changes are likely to endure, such as hybrid working.

Viv Beck, chief executive of the business group Heart of the City, says there is a lot for the central city to be optimistic about. Photo / Alex Burton

"However, there is ongoing public and private investment which signals confidence in the future, albeit there are some immediate challenges that need to be overcome."

Beck said the different groups who frequent the city centre say what they love include the great dining, events and entertainment.

Pre-Covid, the inner city had record low vacancy rates, a night-time economy worth nearly half a billion dollars a year, millions of people here every year and sales in Queen St in excess of half a billion dollars a year before the opening of Commercial Bay.

"We've now seen a number of new businesses open here recently or due to open shortly - from hotels, to high end luxury international retailers, a watchmaker, an Italian deli, cake store, a children's collectable store to a number of head offices employing hundreds of workers," Beck said.

The specialty dish of Bonjiri Restaurant. Photo / Jason Oxenham

"When we ask them what has attracted them, the concentration of activity and diversity in an urban setting still features as an attractor."

Harry Cai, owner of Lao Guangzhou hot pot, is opening a central city branch of the popular Cantonese style diner at Mid City mall in July.

It will replace a Japanese restaurant site that have been vacant for over a year.

"I think this is a good time to open a business in the CBD, especially with the border reopening soon, which will mean the return of international students and tourists," Cai said.

"The inner city businesses have been hard hit over the last two years, but for those opening at this time, I think it is good. Hopefully the tough times are over."

After operating more than two years as a managed isolation facility, Stamford Plaza returned to being a hotel operation again on Friday, June 10.

"It's great that we can make connections with guests again, and be able to make people happy by providing great service and food again," said general manager Richard Gamlin.

The hotel will feature a new Asian inspired menu at its new KOA restaurant (formerly known as Knights on Albert) and the return of interactive teppanyaki at Kabuki Restaurant.

"We're just excited to have guests coming in to the hotel from New Zealand and overseas to experience our modern culinary offering," said Stamford Plaza's executive chef Tyler Martin.

"The kitchen team has been working extremely hard over the last couple of months in anticipation to showcase our new menu."

Crowne Plaza is another managed isolation facility that's also returning to hotel operations from yesterday.

General manager Richard Gamlin and his team at Stamford Plaza Hotel, which reopened its hotel and restaurant operations on Friday. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Beck said in the pipeline were a bigger central city celebration of Matariki and that Restaurant Month will be back in August.

"We regularly promote a wide range of events that are unique to the city centre – there is a diverse programme ahead and the opening of the border will enable more international events to return, which attract people from around the country," she said.

"We've been liaising with larger companies and supporting welcome back programmes for office workers – highlighting all the things that people miss when they work from home."

Beck said it was working with others to also address safety concern. A rise in crime and rough sleepers were a put off for many.

"Access remains a concern with so much construction and, as well as advocating to Council and AT for improvements and incentives, we promote transport offers to help make it easier for people to get here," Beck said.

"There's a lot of work being done to address safety concerns, including an increase in security, police presence and support for those who need it. There are also calls for better management of emergency housing and a permanent police station back in the city centre."

Beck says that while the mix of customers and activities may change over the time, there was still a lot for the central city to be optimistic about.

"We have two universities, around 40,000 residents, a desire from employers to have people working together in person for at least part of the week," she said.

"And our border is due to open fully from the end of July. Internationally, we are seeing the return of people to city centres."