Food hall in shadow of rail link
John Anthony visits Auckland’s Mercury Plaza, where a diehard group of Asian food outlets hold on as a huge infrastructure project looms.
This week will be busy at the Chan family business.
Chinese Cuisine is one of a handful of outlets remaining at Auckland food hall Mercury Plaza. And whenever there’s a story about the plaza being demolished, trade at the Chinese food stall picks up.
Since 2015 rumours have been swirling that the Asian food court will be demolished to make way for one of the stations in Auckland’s $3.4 billion City Rail Link (CRL).
Katie Chan, whose parents Tony and Ming Chan opened the small Chinese food outlet in 1994, says Chinese Cuisine is the busiest it’s been in the 24 years it’s operated at the food court behind Auckland’s Karangahape Rd.
‘‘From day one when the rumour came out that we were going to close we’ve been getting busier,’’ Chan said.
But the thriving business will soon be without a home.
A CRL spokeswoman says that while there is no confirmed date, it planned to take over the lease of the Mercury Plaza site around mid to late 2019, in order to build the station platforms and tunnels of Karanga-a-hape Station.
The decaying property is owned by a Lum Joe Ng and Kit Moi Ng and has a 2017 capital value of $15 million.
The owners will not comment because formal negotiations have not taken place with CRL.
While the CRL is likely to supercharge the Auckland economy and many businesses, for those at Mercury Plaza it signals the end of the line, in their current form at least.
The CRL recognises the financial hardship this will cause businesses and, as required under the Public Works Act, it will offer compensation to Mercury Plaza businesses affected.
Businesses will be individually assessed for compensation in terms of their rights under the Public Works Act, the CRL spokeswoman says.
University of Auckland honorary academic and law school lecturer Kenneth Palmer says the act is usually applied in major government projects.
Historically it is common for authorities to buy properties outright but more recently leasing has become common practice, he says.
So far CRL has spent $140m buying 68 properties totalling about 4.7 hectares, but the Mercury Plaza site is not one of them. That will be leased.
Palmer says there is a ‘‘solatium payment’’ clause in the act which suggests a business that must relocate should be compensated about $25,000 as a starting point.
‘‘The way the law is framed, there is a presumption they should pay that,’’ Palmer says.
However, it can be more than that, and there are various points that can be negotiated such as relocation costs and loss of goodwill from having to move from the area, he says.
‘‘That’s all negotiable.’’
A collective bargaining process will be the most effective way for all the Mercury Plaza businesses, many of which are owned by Asian migrants, to get a fair compensation deal, he says.
Authorities often make a low-ball offer in the first instance to reduce their liabilities.
‘‘These offers of compensation are generally not sufficient or they are below what really should be paid.’’
Karangahape Road Business Association precinct manager Michael Richardson says it will not be acting as a bargaining agent for Mercury Plaza businesses but it will support remaining businesses with a ‘‘readiness’’ pack on how to reduce disruptions from construction of the rail link.
Mercury Plaza food court has a strong following and is an ‘‘iconic’’ offering in the area, he says.
‘‘It certainly will be missed by the people that love it.’’
There will be a shift to other eateries in the area when the plaza does close, he says.
The CRL project will be transformative for the area, both in terms of attracting commercial and residential developers, and bringing more visitors to Karangahape Rd, he says.
‘‘It’s the best food in Auckland, I reckon.’’ ‘‘Mercs’’ patron Piripi Gordon
Many of the Mercury Plaza businesses saw the writing on the wall several years ago, when it became clear that the plaza would have to go, so they packed their things and left. A diehard group remain – all Asian food outlets; two Japanese, a Korean, Thai, two Chinese, a barber and an Asian supermarket.
Chinese Cuisine, which features photos of All Blacks (and patrons) Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina and Ma’a Nonu on the shop front, still serves All Blacks on a regular basis, Chan says.
That in itself is a proud achievement for the family, she says.
‘‘Some of them have been coming for a long time.
‘‘We were the first store here in the whole building.’’
The whole family helps out running the shop, especially at weekends, she says.
‘‘We grew up here. We’re happy here.’’
In its current state Mercury Plaza is a wonderful dichotomy. Graffiti covers the walls and old arcade games, such as Street Fighter II and Daytona USA, sit flickering in various states of disrepair. The bathrooms smell so bad it’s best to hold your breath, and the food hall bar stools are split on top and coated in grime.
But the atmosphere during lunch and dinner hours is intoxicating. Woks clang and bang, the smell of rich broth fills the air and migrants with thick accents yell out orders. And most importantly, the food is authentic and cheap.
Hungover hipsters eat alongside groups of schoolgirls.
Suited corporate types sit next to construction workers in steel-capped boots, hunched over oily heaps of fried rice and steaming bowls of noodles. Preconceptions and stereotypes are cast aside within the grimy walls of Mercury Plaza. Student Lavinia Talanoa, 17, says she and her friends have been visiting the venue since starting high school.
‘‘I really love it here,’’ Talanoa says.
‘‘I like the food and the environment. I get to see a lot of different people here.’’
Piripi Gordon says he visits ‘‘Mercs’’ at least once a week. ‘‘It’s the best food in Auckland, I reckon.’’
He says he hopes the food court will be relocated after CRL takes over.
‘‘If it needs to be moved then just move it, don’t just kill it.’’