Aucklanders splash out with renewed freedom
Aucklanders fled their homes yesterday and headed to cafes, malls, parks and beaches to enjoy renewed freedom after a week of lockdown.
Their presence — on a largely sunny day — was welcome relief for many operators whose income was again hit by the city being plunged into alert level 3 and told to stay home after a community outbreak in South Auckland.
While Aucklanders were enjoying alert level 2 freedom yesterday, the rest of the country returned to level 1, meaning an actual crowd turned out at Wellington’s Sky Stadium to watch the Black Caps smash Australia to claim the T20 series. That match was followed by the White Ferns playing England.
Spectators in Christchurch were able to watch the Silver Ferns reclaim the Constellation Cup against Australia at Horncastle Arena, ahead of the Crusaders’ match against the Hurricanes.
Auckland’s retailers were kept busy managing crowds yesterday.
Shoppers at some Auckland’s malls including Glenfield Mall reported huge queues and a temporary halt on chicken at the KFC due to a delivery of fresh chicken arriving late.
“I have just arrived, it is a madhouse. Queues everywhere. Going home,” one person posted on Facebook after attempting to go to Glenfield Mall.
“It’s like Christmas season out there!! It’s blimmin crazy,” said another.
Kiwi Property spokesman Campbell Hodgetts said its two Auckland shopping centres — Lynn Mall and Sylvia Park — were busier than a usual Sunday.
Hodgetts said it was consistently busy across all areas of the malls, but level 2 restrictions meant they were still managing customer numbers in the food court and centres.
At Mission Bay beach, three generations gathered to celebrate Isabella Oxley’s fifth birthday.
The family started making plans for the celebration, which included a treasure hunt in the sand to find wrapped sweets, after learning that at 6am yesterday the region would move to level 2.
The change also means Isabella will have her first day at Te Hihi School in Karaka today.
Like the Oxley family dozens of people returned to the beach yesterday as cyclists and joggers stretched their legs in orchestrated groups.
Many relieved parents pushed their kids in swings and watched them clamber up and down slides on reopened playgrounds.
Cafes along Ponsonby Rd were busy as cars snaked along the road looking for a park.
Orphan’s Kitchen was “slammed” and used a waitlist to call people when tables became ready.
“We were expecting it. We were quite well prepared,” duty manager Janelle Eilering said.
The restaurant had to limit the numbers of people who could sit on the shared tables to ensure they were well separated.
“Spirits were high. It is so good to see it so busy.”
Good Group Hospitality director Russell Gray, whose eateries include Botswana Butchery, White and Wong’s and Harbourside, said it was great to see Aucklanders out in big numbers.
“I think it is testament to people wanting to get behind and support local businesses and help them through what has been a pretty tough and pretty long period of time.”
He expected the rest of the week to continue to build, especially with America’s Cup racing starting on Wednesday.
Hospitality NZ chief executive Julie White said while it was great to see people out, operators were still “hamstrung” by the current restrictions and could not operate at their full capacity when they really needed to.
Under alert level 2 cafes, restaurants and bars can open and have customers on their premises but they must be seated, separated at least 1m apart from other groups and only served by one person where practical.
Shoppers must also maintain the appropriate physical distancing of 2m when shopping in-store, which means stores including supermarkets have to limit the number of customers allowed in.