Where’s this city’s nightlife?
Visiting British journalist Lee Kenny investigates whether Christchurch has enough on offer for tourists.
Does it matter that Christchurch was not named among the country’s top destinations in the best-selling guidebook for NZ? Or that our ‘‘Thinker in Residence’’ – a woman tasked with raising the city’s international profile – had ’never heard’ of the place before taking up the role?
How about that Christchurch’s top rated nightspot on Tripadvisor is an art studio in Ilam? No wonder a visiting city expert bemoaned the lack of activities after 5pm, an issue confirmed by tourists It’s fair to say that when it comes to attracting (and keeping) visitors, the city needs to iron-out a few creases.
Although Lonely Planet’s recent decision not to include the Garden City in its list of national highlights was not the end of the world – many people will visit New Zealand without ever consulting the ‘‘backpacker’s Bible’’ – but it is symptomatic of a number of inconvenient truths.
Of course tourists will always come here – the city, the Port Hills, the beaches and mountains are a strong drawcard – but other destinations have dented Christchurch’s claim of being the undisputed ‘‘Gateway to the South Island’’.
Hila Oren is the chief executive of the Tel Aviv Foundation and Christchurch’s first Thinker in Residence.
The Israeli-born executive was invited to speak this week by charity Christchurch Foundation as part of her two-month role to improve the city’s international reputation.
She told an audience of 200 business, community and council leaders that the city lacks international namerecognition. ‘‘First of all, nobody knows about Christchurch out there in the world.
‘‘I’d never heard of Christchurch before. So this is one thing.’’
She also highlighted the lack of evening venues: ‘‘There is no place where you can gather here.’’
The Press asked visitors if they agreed. Jasmine Dee Reyes, 26, from Canada, confirmed nightlife is a problem in Christchurch. She said the city needs to improve its late-night opening hours if it is going to appeal to the wider tourist market.
‘‘I used to work hospo in Christchurch. We sometimes would get other backpackers walking into our joint at 11pm on a Tuesday who would be shocked when we had to turn them away because we were closing,’’ she said.
‘‘Unfortunately bars can only afford to stay open as long as there are enough patrons inside spending money and
‘‘I’d never heard of Christchurch before.’’
Christchurch on a Tuesday night is dead. If you want bars in Christchurch to stay open later, take all your friends and be prepared to spend some cash.’’
She added that the situation is slowly improving.
‘‘It’s a re-emerging scene after the earthquake. There are definitely some cool new bars coming out of the woodwork.
‘‘Go to Red Light District for your secret cocktail lounge vibe, Boo Radley’s on a Wednesday for a rowdy open mic night. If it’s clubs you’re after then Christchurch is pretty lacking.’’
Backpacker Jake Novick, 29, from New York, added: ‘‘I spent a couple weeks in Christchurch in the fall. I found that there were definitely a handful of bars, brew pubs, cocktail spots that had great vibes.
‘‘That said, the early closing is definitely something I felt all over the country, and particularly in Christchurch where you basically need a car to get to anything. Particularly having cafes that close super early, I think makes it hard to bridge that gap if you’re trying to go out for dinner first and then transition.’’
Even the gondola closes at 5pm, potentially denying tourists the opportunity to view the city lights after dark.
A decade ago Christchurch Airport had a near-monopoly on South Island international arrivals, with nine out of 10 overseas flights landing there but the figure has fallen year-on-year since 2010.
Figures published by the Christchurch City Council reveal that Christchurch Airport’s share of overseas passengers fell by 18 per cent between 2005 and 2017, with an increased number of planes now touching-down in either Queenstown or Dunedin.
‘‘In 2005, around 92 per cent of the South Island’s international passengers were travelling via Christchurch Airport. By 2017, this had decreased to 74 per cent. This reflects the growing importance of Australian tourism for Queenstown,’’ the council report says.
‘‘Passenger movements at Christchurch Airport have increased since the earthquakes and are at their highest levels on record. However, as a proportion of all travellers flying in and out of South Island airports, those arriving at or departing from Christchurch Airport are decreasing.’’
Fewer visitors also arrive in Christchurch by sea.
The decision to redirect passenger ships from Lyttelton to Akaroa was made following the earthquake in February 2011 – but more than seven years on and the number of tourist vessels are yet to
return. Lyttelton’s new $56 million shipping berth is planned for completion by 2020, meaning some of the world’s largest cruise liners will be able to take harbour in the town.
But attracting tourists is only part of the battle. The other challenge is keeping them.
Although visitor numbers rose by
63,000 between 2016 and 2017, Christchurch’s 1.06 million tourists trails behind Auckland, with 2.08m visitors, and Queenstown-Lakes District with
1.2m.
The most common reason for overseas visitors to come to Christchurch is for their vacation, but the percentage of holidaymakers fell from 71 per cent in
2001 to 62.7 percent in 2017. Similarly, the number of guest nights at commercial accommodation providers in Christchurch also slumped from 3.4m in 2005 to 2.8m in 2017 – a decline of
650,000.
Local resident Masa Abe is on the frontline of Christchurch’s tourist services. His job is to welcome visitors aboard the tram in Cathedral Square and he is an upbeat and friendly face of the city. He has performed the role for 12 years and said the current lack of hotels has had a direct impact on visitor numbers.
‘‘Things are quiet at the moment, but they were a lot worse three years ago,’’ he said.
‘‘Things are picking up now, especially since the new hotels have opened, the Distinction Hotel and the Crowne Plaza. There used to be 12 hotels around the Square so we still need a lot Allyson Yuen is visiting Christchurch from California.
The 29-year-old hotel worker said: ‘‘I really like the size of the city. I think it’s a good dynamic, it’s not too big, not to small. I really like the street art so when you’re walking around there’s always something new, it’s pretty cool, it keeps it different.
‘‘There’s some room for improvement, I haven’t seen all of the things but there could be a little bit more to draw in more visitors.
‘‘Queenstown is hard to compete with because there’s so many different outdoor activities and things to see and do. Milford Sound is right around the corner. Maybe more outdoorsy things would be a good draw for Christchurch.’’
Fellow American Lacey Caulfield, 25, from Seattle, works as a bartender in central Christchurch.
‘‘There’s a good mix between buildings and greenery within the city. The buildings are low so you get sunlight no matter where you are in the city which is really nice,’’ she said.
‘‘The city definitely has an interesting energy because of the transition and it is really cool to see different buildings popping-up, different bars opens. It feels like there’s a different restaurant that opens up every week, but it does have a way to go. I think it would be kinda cool to go away for a few years and then come back and see the finished product.’’
Despite boasting four beaches, nine museums, 10 parks and more than 25 kilometres of cycle routes, there’s a feeling Christchurch still needs to improve the package it offers to tourists.
Francesca Barrett, 27, from the UK, has lived in Christchurch for 12 months.
‘‘OGB has an awesome atmosphere any day of the week. Fat Eddies is probably the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night,’’ she said.
‘‘Christchurch nightlife and life in general has grown so much in the last year I’ve been here, despite hearing a lot of negative attitudes from locals.
‘‘When I see articles about new things opening in Christchurch, a lot of people say the city has no soul or they don’t need to go into the city or haven’t been in ages. Sometimes I think it’s mostly the tourists that are enjoying what the city is becoming.’’
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Christchurch’s transitional tourist scene is that the city’s top-rated nightspot on Tripadvisor is an art studio in Ilam.
Sip ‘n’ Paint offers patrons the opportunity to create a work of art on their night out. Situated on a residential street below an accountancy office, the studio opened four years ago but was taken over by new owner Anna Viniegra three months ago.
She said she is delighted but surprised that Sip ‘n’ Paint had topped the list.
‘‘I think it’s great. You would expect Tripadvisor to be mostly used by tourists and they aren’t our top demographic,’’ she said.
Originally from Los Angeles, Anna trained in fine-art before relocating to New Zealand 10 years ago.
She said the aim of the studio was to provide visitors with a fun night out as well as learning how to paint.
‘‘We are not a snooty art environment, we have good music playing and want people to have a lot of fun. It’s something different, instead of going to a bar or a movie.’’
The two-hour sessions see up to 32 patrons enjoy a drink and nibbles while given hints and tips on sketching, brushstrokes and perspective.
‘‘Each night has a theme and people are guided by our staff and shown how to paint.
‘‘We have people come along who say they can’t draw a stickman but they are always surprised by what they can create. And at the end of the night you get something to take home with you.’’
Christchurch in two days
According to Lonely Planet it’s possible to see Christchurch in just two days.
To put this to the test we embarked on the guidebook’s 48-hour itinerary and first-up was breakfast at C1. It was just after 10.30am and this Tuam St favourite was already busy. Couples, families and friends sat side-by-side, while a group of well-dressed business people sipped flat whites at the centre table. The Japanese artwork and 70s antiques added to the quirky feel and the service was friendly and prompt with food arriving via the pneumatic tube system, a relic of when the building was a post office.
After strolling through Cathedral Square, which was bathed in sunshine but ominously quiet, we spent two hours at the city’s newest museum, Quake City. At $20 per adult it’s not cheap but the collection of images, videos and exhibits from that fateful February afternoon provides visitors with a heart-wrenching and often uplifting account of the 2011 earthquake.
A whistle-stop tour of Christchurch Art Gallery was followed by lunch. With the recommended Canterbury Cheesemongers having closed in April we picked up supplies at one of Christchurch’s many sushi restaurants before spending an enjoyable few hours at Canterbury Museum. Among the many highlights – the Egyptian artefacts, the Antarctic Gallery and images from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition – was Fred and Myrtle’s Paua Shell House, a replica of the Kiwi couple’s home in Bluff that attracted more than a million visitors over 50 years.
Free to enter and packed full of interesting and entertaining exhibits, Canterbury Museum is the jewel in the crown of the city centre’s attractions. A pleasant walk around the Botanic Gardens was followed by a burger and a pint at Smash Palace in High St. The austere surroundings of the city centre pub won’t suit everyone but the laidback staff and cozy commonroom-feel ensured we had an enjoyable end to our first day.
Day two began with drinks at Addington Coffee Co-op. It was standing room only in this popular coffee shop. As well as food, drinks and a huge toy chest, there is also an on-site roastery and a Fair Trade store. The Lincoln Rd cafe redistributes 70 per cent of its profits back into the community and has solid ecocredentials too, with cardboard straws and compostable coffee cup lids.
From there it was a 10 km drive to Heathcote Valley to board Christchurch Gondola. At $28 per adult, the return trip into the Port Hills was the single most expensive attraction in Lonely Planet’s itinerary, but the spectacular views of Canterbury Plains and out across to the Southern Alps was worth every cent. The price included entry to the quirky but informative Time Tunnel ride and there is also a restaurant and shop at the 448m lookout. The only question raised was why the gondola closes so early? With the last ride at 5pm it means it’s not possible to view the sunset or the city lights from the Mt Cavendish viewing station outside of the winter months.
Heading to Lyttelton we explored the port town before enjoying a sunshine picnic in the community space on the corner of London and Oxford streets. Back through the tunnel our final destination was Sumner, where the guide recommended a ‘‘late-afternoon stroll or swim’’.
The sky was blue but the water temperature was somewhere between 12 and 14 degrees; so, although I went in for a dip, I didn’t stay in for long. We ended the second day by watching the patriotic documentary Spitfire at the quaint but Hollywood Cinema, in Marriner St.
The three-screen movie house opened in 1938 and shows blockbusters as well as indie flicks. On Monday and Tuesday nights film-goers can combine a ticket with a drink and a pizza at Salt next door – a nice end to a busy few days.
The itinerary omitted tourist favourites such as; the tram, punting on the Avon, Rutherford’s Den, the city’s street art, the Antarctic Centre, Alice Cinemas and the Transitional Cathedral – but there’s only so much you can fit into 48 hours.