Street dining boosts recovery
Having a bite and a beer on the main street could become the new normal in Morrinsville.
New seating areas – the MatamataPiako District Council is calling them ‘‘business bubble zones’’ for now – aim to help eateries and residents meet the physical distancing requirements in alert level 2, as well as give the local economy a helping hand.
Funding has already been granted for two temporary street-side seating areas as part of the Transport Agency’s innovating streets fund.
If successful, mayor Ash Tanner said this could see a ‘‘flow-on effect’’ for bigger projects, similar to Rotorua’s Eat Streat, which includes an all-weather al fresco dining area for restaurants to share.
Tanner said a seating area is an ‘‘easy and achievable’’’ thing council can do to aid the recovery.
He said its Working Recovery Party originally started looking at options to close off one side of the road, but decided to trial having two strips of seating, one by Redoubt Bar and Eatery Morrinsville, and the other by Loxy&Co Eatery.
‘‘Initially, we were wondering if we could make it into a one-way street, but at this stage I think we are just going to trial and see if we get the same effect, and maybe we could look at it further down the track,’’ Tanner said.
‘‘We are trying to get some projects up and running to help with the recovery of the town and get some money back into the district, with an emphasis on the local trades that might be able to do these jobs for us.’’
It’s expected to cost $87,400, with councils contributing $8740.
The initial drawings of the business bubble zones include boxed seating, planter boxes and pavement art designed by a local artist.
Two eateries to benefit from the seating area are buzzing.
Redoubt owner Jacob Henderson, who also owns the Matamata Redoubt linked to Waikato’s largest Covid-19 cluster, welcomed the idea.
‘‘I haven’t been given a lot of detail about it, but it would be fantastic especially in the current situation,’’ Henderson said.
‘‘[Deputy mayor] Neil Goodger talked about maybe increasing the footpath space and encouraging dining and said it would be a good look to see seating all along there.’’
Loxy&Co Eatery owner Ankur Thakral said: ‘‘I think it’s a great idea’’.
Planning is under way for the sites.