Most people in east Auckland would empathise that it’s sad to see what’s happened to Pakuranga Plaza.
A once thriving shopping centre where the community used to buy their consumer goods and congregate to eat and socialise is now a sad reflection of its glory days of the past.
There are still businesses such as Countdown / Woolworths and Panda Mart that are doing what could be described as good foot-traffic trade, but the amount of empty retail store spaces in Pakuranga Plaza is, to put it mildly, shocking.
The Times has spent time at the Plaza and counted more than 20 vacated, non-trading store premises inside it.
There are also empty road-facing exterior shop spaces, including in Aylesbury Street.
Nine out of the 10 outlets in the food court are empty and inactive, with only Subway open.
A major factor in the decline of business being conducted at Pakuranga Plaza is all around it are construction jobs associated with Auckland Transport’s Eastern Busway project.
According to business owners and operators at the plaza, these building works are putting off the public from entering the Plaza precinct.
The Times sent questions to Pakuranga Plaza management, who replied: “As we have no updates to provide, the owner is respectfully declining to answer your queries at this stage.”
Plaza businesses say:
Jing Huang, who works at Bargain City, a bulging multi-goods retail shop, says: “A lot of our customers have stopped coming because of the change of entry [road] access.
“It’s also difficult finding out when the works will end. Our customers keep asking. Nobody knows.”
KP, who only wants to be identified by her initials, has worked at the Plaza for 15 years and owned her business there for 11.
She’s determined to keep operating her retail shop inside the mall, but says it’s very difficult following the Covid era, then enduring the subsequent downturn and recession, and for the past year the construction works in and around the Plaza associated with the Eastern Busway project, including the Reeves Road Flyover.
She admits her business turnover is “down 50 per cent, especially because of the closed roads”.
KP’s unimpressed with what she describes as the lack of information being provided to Plaza tenant businesses and mall customers by AT.
It was provided previously, with information display boards and notices, she says, but that has stopped.
“We’ve had no correspondence for a long time. There’s not enough information being put out to the public.
“Generally, I’m frustrated, and facing another two years of this [ongoing construction works].”
KP’s annoyed that Plaza public parking spaces have been acquisitioned for the use of construction workers’ vehicles and trucks.
“There is no consideration for customers. Parking is difficult and there are almost daily changes to the road access entries to the Plaza car parks.
“People have stopped coming here. With the removal of houses on Pakuranga Road and Ti Rakau Drive [for Eastern Busway], we have also lost a lot of customers because of that.
“The elderly from the rest homes are not coming here, as there is no way to get in. No signage.
“What I’m most frustrated about is the fact they do things around the mall – daily changes to access routes in and out, block roads with cones. Why not tell us?”
KP is a dignified woman who is undoubtedly strong in spirit, but she does admit the whole situation has been an “absolute nightmare”.
Every time heavy machinery associated with the construction works is used nearby, and the ground is shaking, she has “run around the shop trying to keep my stock from falling off the shelves”.
A male business owner with two shops in Aylesbury Street and who doesn’t want to be named agrees that difficulties for motorists trying to get into the mall precinct is putting them off from driving in.
“Yes, of course, and people are struggling with parking access and are avoiding the area.”
Another man, who also doesn’t want to be named and has run his business for four years on the other side of the plaza facing Pakuranga Road, says he and his staff have also witnessed arguments, abuse and vehicle collisions in the plaza roadways and parking areas, “because it’s more congested”.
“Not enough thought has gone into directing traffic. We hear drivers arguing, and people are losing their patience.
“From our point of view, the [AT] work needs to be done. But as a business owner, with it continuing for another one-two years, it’s a bit worrying.”
- See AT’s response to concerns by businesses at the Plaza here: Auckland Transport responds to concerns at the Plaza – Times
- Read about the experience of a service station owner at Pakuranga Plaza here: Teen gangs target Plaza service station – Times
