9 August 2019

Media: BOPTimes/Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Eat Streat

Enquiry

I am working on a story about streetscaping project in Tauranga that is inspired by Eat Streat - Wharf St.

I am looking to put some metrics around the success of Eat Streat. I'm not sure exactly what you might have but here are the ones I've thought of. Feel free to include any others you think of.

• How many people visit each year? (footcounts, eg)
• How much revenue does the council each year (for example, 2018/19 financial year) from renting the pedestrian space to eateries and (separately) from rates?
• What is the annual opex for Eat Streat?

Response

Eat Streat businesses (this is information rather than quotes) are not rated any differently to other businesses in the inner city. Rates for individual properties can be found via Council's rating database (http://geo.rdc.govt.nz/BOPLASS/Tiny/RID.aspx) however, if this is information you want Council to collate, that will take time to complete. Please let us know if you want us to compile that information.

See below regarding your other questions. As we've had to gather this information from various departments, there is nobody to quote sorry but if you need to attribute it you can attribute to a Council spokesperson.

In response to your enquiry:

Rotorua Lakes Council doesn't record foot counts for Eat Streat, but it is a popular destination for both locals and tourists.

Total revenue for the 2018/19 financial year from the 13 footpath agreements that exist in Eat Streat was $51,510.25 (excl GST) for the year to 30 June 2019 (so the 2018/19 financial year).

Each business also pays an annual fee of $165 to cover operational costs of underground geothermal heating in Eat Streat.

When Eat Streat was established Council paid the cost of installing canopies to cover the eating precinct and the businesses are paying back the cost of this (which was $343,201, excluding GST) in monthly instalments. The amounts they pay vary, depending on the size of their canopy. One business has repaid its canopy in full to date. Repayments for the canopies are not, however, classed as revenue - they are capital payments.

There is an Eat Streat Collective made up of businesses operating there and this also includes a Council representative, ensuring ongoing regular dialogue with the operators. In case you'd like to speak to him, the current chair of the collective is Jason Wright from Sobar (sorry I don't have a contact number).

In terms of maintenance, Council is responsible for maintaining the structure, including the columns and roof and the public thoroughfare. Maintenance includes: daily sweeping and litter pick-up, and washing of hard surfaces, including cobbled areas and the structure, three times a year.

The maintenance budget for Eat Streat is approximately $48,000 per year.