ABs test a fizzer for Nelson retailers but wider gains expected

Nelson city retailers reported losses of up to 50 per cent on the day of the historic All Blacks-Argentina test, but a marketing leader says the event will have lasting benefits.

The reported losses were brought up by councillor Matt Lawrey in a meeting of Nelson City Council’s governance committee yesterday, after retailers approached him with concerns.

‘‘They told me that the Saturday [September 8] was a really bad day for them, and they said they were worried that the perception was that it was a wonderful success and everyone did well out of it, but for a number of retailers it actually wasn’t helpful,’’ Lawrey said.

Uniquely Nelson manager Simon Duffy said this was not unexpected. The marketing body and the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) ran events ‘‘probably two or three times a year’’ that were not beneficial for retailers, he said.

‘‘There was a lot of feedback after the All Blacks one: it wasn’t a retail market. Some shops were 20, 30, 50 per cent down. [Rugby fans are] not going to be buying shirts, art and so forth.’’

However, he said the event raised Nelson’s profile and would have a lasting impact.

Other retailers ‘‘understood that the bigger picture, for the Nelson region and the ABs coming here, was bigger than their actual shop itself,’’ Duffy said. ‘‘It was good for Nelson, it was good for hospitality and for tourism – it just wasn’t an event that fits into retail.’’

‘‘The All Blacks overall for the Nelson Tasman region was huge for us, absolutely huge.’’

He said the event was a hit for hospitality businesses, which did ‘‘exceptionally well’’.

Duffy said Uniquely Nelson and the NRDA put on numerous events every year, and each one would not necessarily be beneficial for each business sector.

‘‘There are certain things that are put on that may not support every sector of the CBD . . . Like the Street Hop we have on this Sunday – it’s geared up for retail. Shops that are normally closed are opening for it.’’

He said he was expecting something like 4000 people to attend the Street Hop.

‘‘It’s not so much the percentage we look at, it’s the bigger picture, and it’s long-term.’’