1978: New Brighton Pedestrian Mall
February 25, 2022
By AHNZ
Visiting Brighton a couple of weeks ago in Christchurch I again puzzled over a vibe I felt about the place, that something was lacking that required explanation. I feel that way about lots of places I go which is the probable result of being curious as a kid around people who refused to share with me what was going on while putting on airs of knowing absolutely everything about everything. New Brighton, whenever I’ve stopped by, feels like it has had the marrow sucked from its bones the way old ex-Olympic stadiums I’ve been to do or various dying provincial towns. Now I understand why it has always seemed that way. It is that way.
In 1936 Labour 1.0 put a ban on economic activity creating a 40 hour work week and, thus, ‘the weekend’. Putting a brick like that on the head of our productivity would never have let Colonial New Zealand get off the ground but thanks to the economic growth that rules like these did not create we could now afford to drive our country along in second gear. We did that for the next 50 years until National 3.0 passed the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Act (1980) which permitted Saturday trading. In 1989 Sunday trading became legal and we were free to shift up into 3rd gear and beyond once more.
During those Fortress New Zealand years in-between freedom all of New Zealand, almost, was frozen off in the weekend. However, there was a clause in the legislation allowing a municipality to nominate which day their commerce was wheel-clamped. In all New Zealand only Christchurch City Council and Hutt County Council managed to take advantage of that. How? I can only think that they both of these managed to pull of some amazing political deals with Central Government in exchange for the cash cows they created. Brighton and Coastlands had a government-created monopoly (is there any other kind?) to trade on while the rest of the country was fettered.
Mall Magnate and Mayor, Hamish Hay, opened up a revamped New Brighton Pedestrian Mall in February 1978. However, the clock was ticking down to 1980 when all of this would turn into a pumpkin. If Hay knew that ahead of time it was no problem. All that commerce would be coming instead to his own big mall$ that would now open all week long.
“It was once a thriving seaside suburb, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every week. But in the four decades since losing its monopoly on Saturday shopping, New Brighton has fallen into a state of decline…People flocked to the area for Saturday shopping and the big chain stores moved in to capitalise on the gold rush. Hallensteins, Woolworths, Farmers and Glassons attracted Cantabrians from across the region, while local businesses, such as Dowsons Shoes and Shackel Meats, also thrived. – New Brighton has seen boom and bust – will the seaside suburb ever recapture its former glory?, Stuff (2022)
“In the 1970s the closed day was changed from Wednesday to Monday and members of the New Brighton Business Association regularly traveled to Wellington to lobby for the area’s Saturday exemption to remain in place.” – ibid
“During the 1960s, New Brighton was Christchurch’s only shopping centre open on a Saturday so for some time it was all go for the retailers. Which meant New Brighton was the only place in Christchurch for people who worked all week to get to the shops as a result business thrived…the Mall was officially opened by the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay, on 25 February 1978. ” – NEW BRIGHTON HISTORY, christchurchnz.info
New Brighton couldn’t maintain itself without the drug of government protection and has wound down to the point of giving off the vibes I felt.
In its time of dying it suffered the usual indignity of being made an excuse for huge amounts of public expenditure to “renew” it: Pier, library, playground, Whale Pool. That wasn’t driven from within or for economic causes. Politicians are always looking for excuses to misspend money and award contracts to friends and launder ratepayer money so nostalgia for New Brighton was used as cover to do so while the voters were blinded by sentiment. The place is not what it was. Where the economic situation takes a dive culture is sure to follow. This is why the arts, music, and culture life once so strong has ebbed and died. It’s also why the War Memorial needs to have greasy perspex around it to ward off yet more graffiti attacks that old New Brighton would never have put up with.
Coastlands, on the other hand, I also happened to visit a couple of weeks ago for a Rapid Antigen test in order to get back to Christchurch. That place is doing very well which we can only suppose is due to government staying out of its commercial life.
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Image ref. The Pier Mall, New Brighton, 1980’s; New Zealand 1980s memories and 1990s Memories, Facebook; Minor touch-up AHNZ (2022)
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