11 October 2013

Wellington’s Business Unfriendly Sandwich Board Debate

By John Morrison Mayoral Candidate

The Lambton Quay sandwich board debate is another example of a user-unfriendly Wellington City Council. Sandwich board wardens patrol Lambton Quay making sure the kerbside advertising is registered and annual fees of $180 have been paid and that owners have not exceeded their allocations.

The building at 276 Lambton Quay is the home of numerous small ventures that partially rely on passing foot traffic for their business . But the council says they are only allowed two sandwich boards on the footpath and suggest the tenants sort it out amongst themselves to decide which of them can advertise.

The equation is simple. If these small businesses don’t get any passing traffic they might as well be located in the suburbs for a fraction of the rent. That leaves an empty building, which reduces in value and impacts on rates that can be collected off it.

The $180 sandwich board fees and the increasing degree of difficulty in getting a car park, is blighting the potential of the CBD. Under the Green Mayor Wellington has become increasingly business unfriendly and this needs to turn around.

Rather than imposing ridiculous restrictions the council has got to be on their side and help these small CBD businesses achieve their goals.

It is now too late to post your vote into a mailbox, but you can still have your say. Place your voting papers into a ballot box in main council foyer before noon tomorrow (Saturday). You can have three more years of the same or put (1) next to John Morrison. Only rank those candidates you know and like. Leave the others blank.

ENDS

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