Can the retailing upturn in Upper Hutt be maintained?
"Good news for retailing" the Upper Hutt Leader screamed on its front page. Up 9.4% on a year ago the Leader says.
But what the Colin Williams story failed to say was that this upsurge was inflated to some extent on the back of the effects of the earthquake on Lower Hutt and its Westfield Mall . The Westfield Mall was more than "cut "in half and its movies complex decimated. This also had a marked affect on shoppers steering clear of the mall which totally dominates retailing in the Hutt Valley and beyond.
There was a time late last year when on occasions Upper Hutt's Main Street CBD was car-filled and almost seething with pedestrians.
So don't expect this to linger to the extent it reached pre-Xmas 2016 but some momentum could be maintained if the UHCC got serious in re-inventing the CBD
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.7% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.6% Critical thinking
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29.1% Resilience and adaptability
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2.6% Other - I will share below!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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