Tenants Wanted

During our meanderings round town, we were struck suddenly by the great number of empty shops and buildings in the heart of Nelson's commercial area. On Trafalgar Street alone, four big properties lie empty and a quick whip around the other streets between Collingwood and Rutherford Streets (including the Hardy Mall), and Halifax Street and the Church Steps, produced another nine premises. Why? A sign of the times? One explanation given to us was that rents in Nelson are excessively high compared with what the tenant is paying in Wellington and Christchurch, especially since there are so many retailers selling the same thing in Nelson in a much smaller area. Many of the premises are old and obsolete and have outlived modern day requirements.

The old Social Security offices in Hardy Street, vacant since the department moved into modern premises in the Hardy Mall.

The Self Help building in Trafalgar Street, vacant now since last October.

The former premises of R. A. Mace Ltd, Trafalgar Street

The old offices of the Faimon County Council, Trafalgar Street, vacant since the council moved to Richmond.

The old post office, vacant now for many a year, but still an excellent site for modern professional offices in Trafalgar Street.

In lower Bridge Street, the urgent pharmacy is empty since new premises in Nile Street were occupied.

Two of the ground floor tenants of Realty Chambers have quit these premises in recent months.

With the shift of Spicers to bigger premises in Hardy Street, the former shop in Bridge Street has become vacant.

The public relations office has been vacant since it shifted to new premises in the city council chambers.

Stock from Souvenir House in the C.M.L. building has been shifted to bigger premises in a better part of town.

The Galaxy Sound Lounge, Hardy Street, is empty (this building has been used for all sorts of entertainment in the last seven years, but the tenancies have been short).

Three shops in the Hardy Mall still await tenants

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The Nelson Photo News

No 83 : September 16, 1967

Tenants Wanted