According to a long-term retailer, Auckland's Queen Street is becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be thanks to the city's homeless population.
Garry Latham runs two busy Queen Street pharmacies that service CBD workers and a huge number of overseas visitors.
"There's often feedback, we love the city, we love NZ, we love the people, but boy you've got a problem with homeless people," Mr Latham told TVNZ1's Seven Sharp.
He says the problems for his workers begin as the shops open in the morning.
"Usually there's a homeless person in doorways and the first job for the key-holder is to get them to move.
"There is often human waste to clean up," Mr Latham said.
He says the issues don't stop there with many of his staff feeling threatened.
"Verbal abuse happens daily now, in the last three months two team members have been seriously assaulted."
Mr Latham says he's hired security, invested in counselling services for staff and written to the mayor of Auckland to complain twice.
"The only answer we're getting is 'call the police', but we've been calling for five years."
His bottom line is also suffering because of the issue.
"In the winter during dark nights which was even worse, we took the decision to close at twilight to protect the team. They felt intimidated leaving in the dark."
Mr Latham thinks Auckland could learn from other cities around the world he says offer a place for the giving to give and the homeless to receive.
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