Back in the black

After weeks of steady economic improvement as coronavirus restrictions ease and shops reopen, retail spending in Manawatu¯ has shown positive annual growth for the first time since lockdown.

Paymark figures show a 7 per cent growth in spending through eftpos, credit and debit cards across Manawatu¯-whanganui last week, compared with the same week last year.

During the alert level 4 lockdown spending fell 60 per cent on the previous year. That eased to a between 30 and 40 per cent drop during alert level 3 restrictions and in the first week of shops being able to fully reopen. Paymark only releases percentage figures.

Palmerston North shops and restaurants are finding business has largely returned to normal, barring a few Covid-19 quirks.

Little Savanna owner Margie Holmes reopened the Princess St restaurant with a takeaway service as soon as she was allowed, and it has been fully reopened for diners for the past two weeks.

Trade is back on track for the restaurant.

‘‘The spend local campaigns, like Choose Manawatu¯, have made a real difference ... The support we’ve all had from the community has been really nice.’’

Holmes said customers were excited to be back, and had been understanding about minor delays and mistakes as staff shook off the lockdown rust.

Thursday and Friday nights, typically Little Savanna’s busiest, were doing well once again, as were Saturday lunches.

‘‘It’s great to see people getting together again, and catching up with friends and family they haven’t seen in person for ages.

‘‘Sunday to Thursday is currently still down on before lockdown, but it’s a lot better than we expected it to be.’’

Bruce Mckenzie Booksellers manager Louisa Mckenzie said George St was humming with shoppers again.

‘‘We’ve still got a lot of catching up to do ... but people are coming in.’’

Trade on George St was back to what shop owners would normally expect for this time of year, as residents made an effort to back local businesses, she said.

‘‘And it’d be even better if we had enough stock ... Even I’m surprised at how much longer things are taking when you place an order.’’

The pandemic has disrupted global supply lines, and its still difficult to order stock from the UK and United States. But even when ordering from Australia, from where most books were sourced for New Zealand stores, there can be weeks of delays, Mckenzie said.

Her Australian suppliers were now shipping orders by sea.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Little Savanna restaurant owner Margie Holmes is pleased to see the ‘‘shop local’’ campaigns paying off as business almost returns to normal.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Bruce Mckenzie booksellers’ Louisa Mckenzie says the shop’s limited reopening with a collection counter for customers’ orders proved popular under the level 3 restrictions.