Roadworks in Lincoln’s town centre are placing growing pressure on local businesses, with several owners reporting steep declines in sales and customer footfall.
According to a report by Phoebe Utteridge of Stuff, Surekha Pudi, who has owned Cottage Café on Lincoln’s main street for about three years, said business has suffered since major construction began in the Canterbury town at the start of January. According to her, sales have dropped by half, forcing her to consider shutting down the café.
“We have taken loans and we have taken money from our pockets. Now we have no money to take out of our pockets… we can’t even afford the rent,” as quoted by Stuff.
Pudi said she had “no choice” but to let a staff member go. Her husband now works at the café during the day and takes up another job at night, while she stays home caring for their newborn baby, who was born prematurely in November. She is seeking more support from the council, including relief packages and rent subsidies.
“How long can we face this struggle?”
The Selwyn District Council says the roadworks are part of a long-term redevelopment plan aimed at making the town centre safer and better equipped to handle rapid population growth. Census data shows the district is the fastest-growing territorial authority in New Zealand, Stuff has reported.
The project includes creating a plaza-style public space, widening footpaths, and replacing sewer lines. The current phase affecting Gerald St is expected to continue until July, with the wider programme scheduled in stages through to 2030.
Rick Sun, who owns Lincoln Convenience Store, said he has been relying on personal savings to keep the family business running as customer numbers decline. He said sales were down about 60%.
“One day we will run out of our savings, and the business will shut down,” he said, Stuff has reported.
Sun, who has owned the dairy on Gerald St for five years, said business had “never been bad like this.” He explained that the store previously handled around 300 transactions a day at this time last year, but now averages only about 120 transactions daily.
When Stuff visited the town centre on Wednesday morning, about 15 cars were backed up at traffic lights waiting to enter the main stretch, with some drivers turning away to avoid the area.
“People just choose to not come here, to not go this way,” Sun said, as quoted by Stuff.
At Broadfield Flowers, florists Suzanna Naylor and Annie Strong said they and their colleagues had reduced working hours to adjust to slower trade caused by the construction.
“I don’t think we’d survive without the online orders,” Naylor said. “It definitely affected our Christmas trade, our busy time of year. We had a lot of waste as well, because we have products that can’t last,” as reported by Stuff.
For some businesses, accessibility has become the biggest challenge. Raeann McPherson, owner of Lincoln Family Barber further down Gerald St, has been encouraging customers to park behind buildings and cross a temporary footbridge to reach the shop.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” she said.
McPherson said walk-in customers had dropped by half, leaving the business dependent on appointments. She has also started a petition, which had gathered 384 signatures by Thursday morning, calling for permanent pedestrian access from the rear car park on the north side of the street.
Barber AJ Vine described the situation as a “diabolical mess,” particularly for elderly customers and families with young children navigating the construction area.
“All these businesses are struggling, a couple of them are throwing around the ‘L’ word [liquidation] already,” he said, Stuff has quoted.
According to Stuff, Selwyn District Council executive director of infrastructure and property Tim Mason acknowledged that the upgrade has caused “disruption to businesses and residents,” but said the redevelopment would bring long-term benefits. He added it was “exciting to see” opportunities such as Lincoln Village, a proposed hospitality precinct expected to house 14 businesses, as quoted by Stuff.
Food outlets say the loss of short-term parking has been especially damaging. Lincoln Fish Supply manager Lou Hardie said the shop had seen a “significant drop” in revenue.
Although the project includes plans for larger off-street parking areas, Hardie said many businesses depend on on-street parking for quick visits from customers.
Mason said council staff and contractors were speaking with businesses daily and exploring ways to reduce disruption “wherever possible,” including additional parking, pedestrian access, and signage promoting local shops.
“We will keep working with the businesses and looking at options for how we can reduce the disruption, including looking at options around the work programme and hours,” Stuff has quoted.
Despite those efforts, some business owners remain uncertain about the future.
“I don’t know how long I can survive,” Sun said. “And this is just the beginning,” as reported by Stuff.
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