Editorial: Closed eateries a shock

Eat Streat has had criticism regarding its opening times. Photo/Stephen Parker.

A friend of mine was telling me the other day how annoyed she and her hubby were to find Eat Streat closed for business early on New Year's Day.

They had biked into town to have a coffee at Eat Streat but, apart from one restaurant nothing was open. Solace was doing a roaring trade, so much so my friends didn't have a hope of getting served before dinner time.

I was shocked nothing was open. Rotorua is marketing itself as a family destination to bring in the New Year yet our recently opened and upgraded Eat Streat doesn't start ticking until lunch time. What about all those mums and dads with kids wanting to go out for breakfast on New Year's Day?

I was about to get over it when I discovered this isn't just a problem on statutory holidays.

Restaurants and cafes on Eat Streat (except Solace) don't open for breakfast or brunch on any day.

Triple One 5 used to do breakfasts but since it closed its doors before Christmas, all those punters have been piling into Solace.

Solace tells us they are having to turn away customers and it's a bad look for Rotorua.

No kidding. Good on Solace for picking up what other cafes and restaurants down there should be doing. There are a few exceptions - perhaps breakfast isn't ideally suited for a curry house or Thai restaurant, but most of the others should be taking this up.

This upgrade has cost ratepayers $2 million and it's a huge success, business has been booming. Eat Streat should be thriving from morning to night. It's ridiculous that nearly half the day is gone before the eateries open their doors.