CBD ‘strangely hollow’

Christchurch-born musician Lawrence Arabia has described the city’s rebuilt CBD as a ‘‘strangely hollow experience’’.

The multi-award-winning artist and composer, whose real name is James Milne, has travelled the world performing his song The 03 about growing up in Christchurch, where he moped around the bus exchange, drank at the college ball and ‘‘got punched on High St mall’’.

Now Milne has returned to holiday in his hometown ahead of a performance at the Bread & Circus festival.

He will provide the music for Shay Horay’s Palaver Grand, billed as Christchurch’s answer to The Graham Norton Show.

He isn’t thrilled by what he has seen of the central city. ‘‘Sparklingly new Christchurch CBD is sorely lacking in interesting businesses and consequently is a strangely hollow experience,’’ he tweeted yesterday.

Milne added: ‘‘Maybe I’m just still mourning the lost city of my youth but surely they, whoever they is these days, could envision something more exciting than the pristine range of upper middle class chain stores that currently seems to dominate.’’

Some responded to Milne, citing independent retailers such as Scorpio Books, Rollickin’ Gelato and The Welder as positive examples of interesting inner-city commerce.

Milne’s comments drew a response on Twitter from the city’s tourism, events and economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ, which said: ‘‘We welcome opinion. But is it not obvious we aren’t trying to be like the rest of the world? We’re creating something new, fresh and bold. Also, we love our beautiful brand new buildings.’’

The agency chose not to comment further to The Press.

Milne also suggested the ‘‘precincts’’ required ‘‘smaller, weirder, riskier’’ businesses and that vibrant retail neighbourhoods around the world were built up from ‘‘cheap art studios and ad hoc bars and venues’’.

He wrote that his complaint was ‘‘CBD specific’’ and noted that Sydenham, Woolston and Addington are ‘‘rocking it’’.

Milne, speaking to The Press from Auckland, said the comments were ‘‘written with love and sadness’’.

‘‘I’d been in Christchurch for a couple of weeks and couldn’t put my finger on what was missing,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s a way of processing the grief for my city. I was curious to hear what other people thought and it’s been interesting to have a discussion.’’

Milne is not the first artist to express concern about gentrification of the Christchurch CBD.

Last year street artist Ikarus expressed his concern that the gentrification of street art, which is steeped in a rich history of hip-hop culture, may have swung too far.

Lawrence Arabia’s latest album, Singles Club, features songs about shopping malls, social media dishonesty and consumerism.