Large rise in retail spending in central Christchurch

December 11, 2018
Christchurch, New Zealand - December 4, 2015: Tourist walk by the Chalice in Cathedral square Christchurch. It's a large modern sculpture of an inverted cone  made up of patterns featuring different native plants made by Neil Dawson.

Retail spending in the Christchurch CBD is up, with food and drink making up over half the $210.5 million spent in the year to October, according to economic development agency ChristchurchNZ.

The total is a 33 per cent rise from $158.5 million last year, Stuff reports.

Card retail spending on clothing, footwear and places such as chemists in the city centre rose by 43 per cent, up from $35.1 million in the year to October 2017.

Food and drink made up the greatest proportion of spending in the year to October, with $121.7 million spent, up 23 per cent from $99 million last year.

The opening of retail precinct The Crossing last September contributed to the spending growth, which saw a 56 per cent growth from the same month last year.

The recent rise is expected to be a timely boost for the city’s retailers in the lead up to the Christmas holidays.

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