'Anything new is good': Picton businesses back central Blenheim revamp

Nearly a year on from their own streetscape revamp, Picton's London Quay businesses are encouraging those on Blenheim's Market St to trust the process.

After four months of construction last year, London Quay reopened with new pavers, garden areas and extra bench seating, which businesses praised as "beautiful" and expressed gratitude to Marlborough District Council and contractor Fulton Hogan.

Now, Picton shop owners are looking to reassure those along Blenheim's Market St as they grapple with construction on their doorstep.

Picton was overcast when Local Democracy Reporting visited on Monday, so the outdoor seating area was quiet, though tourists wandered up and down the street.

But cafes teemed with patrons inside, and Toastie Lords customers spilled outside during the lunch rush.

Toastie Lords co-owner Taylor Hamilton told Local Democracy Reporting the street's atmosphere had made a huge difference post-revamp.

"When it's busy now, people actually have a space to sit. They gather, they stay, they talk," Hamilton said.

"It just creates a much nicer atmosphere for the foreshore ... as opposed to just being packed like sardines on the footpath."

Hamilton described the shop's most recent summer season, the first since the redevelopment, as a "record summer".

Picton residents had told her they enjoyed having a place to sit and a "more welcoming" space, she said.

Sisu owner Stefan Gross said the new layout made the space far easier to work in, and the new pavers much safer for the restaurant's customers to walk on.

Gross said he hadn't seen someone fall over in about a year.

While feedback from customers had been positive, Gross said he could not say whether the changes actually delivered more foot traffic.

"In summer you can't tell, summer is full, it doesn't matter [what the street looks like]."

Tourists, particularly families making the most of the school holidays, wandered up and down the street on Monday, some pausing to take in the famous foreshore and snap a photograph or two.

Auckland-based Steve Heap and his family were exploring the foreshore before heading to Abel Tasman National Park.

"We had a wander around a couple of shops here ... and it's lovely. Very clean and modern and easy to navigate," Heap said.

"It's got a lovely peaceful vibe. The kids were very calm."

Picton resident Brian Huntley said he walked along the street a couple of times a week as it was "just easy to walk along, nice and smooth".

The changes left the town feeling "brighter", he said.

Hamilton said she sympathised with the businesses on Blenheim's Market St, who were struggling with reduced access in the midst of their own revamp.

Blenheim businesses told Local Democracy Reporting in September that even though fencing around the construction work allowed for pedestrian access, foot traffic had dropped off significantly. A walk-in barber shop was forced to close.

Hamilton said her business had felt similar uncertainty during London Quay's makeover. But with the benefit of hindsight, Hamilton said the temporary disruption was worth it.

While she acknowledged the towns had different economic conditions, she encouraged Market St businesses to "hang in there".

Gross cited an old German saying: "If you build something and you need to saw it, there's still going to be sawdust."

"You need to have an interruption. Did we have interruption last winter? Yeah of course. Are we happy with it? Yes.

"Anything new is good."

Gross encouraged Market St businesses to work with the contractors.

"These guys are super sensible. They try everything they can, just talk to them."