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Suburban Christchurch cafes & bars fl...
by NewZelandNz.co.nz
on 03/28/2011 - 01:17 pm
Categories: Accommodation, Eating and Drinking, Latest News, South Island
Post-earthquake, the unaffected bars, cafés and restaurants on the city’s outskirts and in nearby Rangiora are thriving, as city dwellers seek some respite from the quake’s aftermath. Recently this writer meet a few friends in Harrington’s on Main North Road, Belfast. This is one of the larger bar/restaurants in the suburbs and at 6.30 on a Thursday evening, it was absolutely packed to capacity. Going by anecdotal evidence, the same can be said for many, if not most of the functioning hospitality businesses outside the CBD.
My daughter works at a café in Heathcote. The Castle Rock Café was one of the first in the area to get up and running again after the February quake. While the café always did a brisk business pre-quake, it is now filled to overflowing at peak hours most days. Keeping count of the coffees served as a matter of interest, while undoubtedly missing a few, one of the baristas estimates that they served in the vicinity of 350 coffees on her shift from 9.30 to 1.30. The food cabinet was emptied by 1.00 while the two chefs were run off their feet preparing menu items. “The working days are flying by,“ barista Jess reckoned.
So while many of the businesses in the Christchurch CBD are down, some are definitely not out, as many restaurateurs and bar owners vow to rebuild and come back bigger and better. In the meantime, the suburbs and places such as Rangiora, some 30-kilometres north of Christchurch are providing city dwellers with welcome relief.
Incidentally, Rangiora, has had its population expanded by an estimated 10,000 people, as city residents have taken up all the available vacant beds in the town, The holiday parks, motels and hotels in the greater Christchurch, North and Mid-Canterbury areas are doing a brisk business. “While we appreciate the business, we can’t ignore the terrible event that brought it about,” one Rangiora hotel owner told me. “There’s certainly no joy to be had from the situation. We’re just concentrating on being good hosts and trying to help in any way we can.”
Whatever the short-term situation, there is no doubt in the minds of many that Christchurch will be rebuilt, better than before.
