Tenants of Wellington's Reading Cinemas complex kept in dark about when they can reopen

Thousands of people are still walking beside it after the building was deemed an earthquake risk.

Five days after tenants were told to leave the Reading Cinemas complex in Wellington due to a potential earthquake risk, businesses are still unaware of when - or if - they will be allowed to reopen.

A spokesman for Unichem Pharmacy, one of the retail stores in the Courtenay Place building, said no timeline has been given from Reading Cinemas.

Stefan Herrick, spokesman for ANZ Bank, said the business has asked for more information and, in the meantime, is directing customers to its Willis St branch.

He said ANZ doesn't have any update on when or if the bank can reopen for business, but Reading Cinemas has offered it one-off controlled access to the building.

An owner of another business who wants to remain anonymous said he met with the manager of the complex yesterday and was told tenants will learn how they’re affected in an official report on the potential seismic risk within the next week.

He said Reading Cinemas has let him know when there was an opportunity to return to the site to pick up items, and he visited yesterday.

Wellington City Councillor Iona Pannett told 1 NEWS she would be meeting with other staff this afternoon to get more information about the potential seismic risk.

She said Reading Cinemas is in contact with the council every day and they "are working hard to resolve the situation".

Reading Cinemas has not answered 1 NEWS’ requests for further information.

The complex's carpark had to be demolished due to damage following the Kaikoura earthquake in 2016.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said yesterday council was given a verbal summary of the risk found inside the Reading Cinemas building by engineers, but cannot release further information at this stage while councillors are being briefed.

Council was assured that the building poses no risk to those outside the complex on Courtenay Place, he said.

Mr MacLean said council was “very satisfied” with the communication it has received from the business.

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