Noodle markets bigger and better
More than 40,000 keen foodies have slurped down noodles, sipped from pineapples and basked in the sun during the first three days of Christchurch’s Night Noodle Markets.
The annual event returned to Christchurch’s Hagley Park on Wednesday and this year will run for 12 nights, up from the five nights of the first event in 2016.
Some local restaurants and bars have expressed concerns that the event takes away from their trade, but Stuff events director David Blackwell said he did not think the public would be happy if the markets were cut back.
‘‘We want to work on other ways to better improve the vibrancy of Christchurch.’’
The first two events were five days long, but it increased to 10 nights last year and 12 this year to give stall owners more chance to increase returns, Blackwell said.
About 15,000 people attended on the first night and 10,000 on the second. Last night, Blackwell expected about 12,000 people through the gates. Event goers said they preferred the markets being held at this time of year. ‘‘There’s more to do outdoors; it’s something nice and different,’’ Reuben Rai said.
Rachael Bascik said her family would rather go to restaurants in the winter and outdoor events in the summer.
Hospitality NZ Canterbury branch president Peter Morrison said Valentines Day trade for hospitality in Christchurch was down 42 per cent last year because of the annual Night Noodle Markets.
‘‘It’s far too long – it’s over Valentines Day, which is a prime season for our restaurants and bars,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s over our busiest time of the year, when business, restaurants and bars should be making money to get through the quiet winter. Two weeks is a ridiculous amount of time, [the markets] should only be three or four days.’’
He acknowledged some restaurants had stalls at the Night Noodle Markets, but said they were participating only because ‘‘people are going to it instead of their restaurants’’.
Morrison had scheduled a meeting with Blackwell on Monday to discuss his concerns.
Belgian Beer Cafe Torenhof owner Mark McGuinness said his bar’s turnover dropped by 50 to 60 per cent when the Night Noodle Markets were on.
‘‘It’s a great event, but . . . we have to cut down on staff [while it’s on], so they’re losing out on hours and jobs.’’
The Terrace developer Antony Gough said he did not believe the Hagley Park event was affecting business at his complex, right in the middle of the city centre.
‘‘We’re in a different price bracket [to the markets] . . . it’s a different sort of environment,’’ he said.
Amazonita bar owner Louis Vieceli said they had been open only since April 2018, so it was too early to know what effect the markets had, but it would likely have some impact.
* Stuff Ltd owns and operates the Night Noodle Markets.