Mainstreets Hastings Newsletter 1997

Mainstreets Hastings

Volume 3 Issue 9   August 1997

1997 HASTINGS
BEST BUSINESS AWARDS

These are well underway at present with public nominations being received each day and businesses being scrutinised by a panel of independent judges to ascertain which is the best CBD business in terms of its presentation, customer service, merchandising and the way that it goes about its business.

Mainstreets, the Hawke’s Bay Herald Tribune and Newstalk ZB are keen to recognise the BEST Hastings businesses, and to promote the many great experiences available within the CBD. I’m sure we all agree that Hastings has taken some unfair and often unnecessary criticism over the last few months and these Awards provide Hastings businesses with a rallying point to shout out aloud howgood [how good] they are at what they do – and their [there] are many great businesses here!!

The 5 categories of business being specialist retailers, food & beverage, service, professional and department stores all compete for great prizes and the sheer prestige of being Hastings BEST! The judges have been careful in establishing the criteria so that every business nominated has the opportunity of being judged the overall Best Business.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Friday 29 August which promises to be a great night for Hastings business people. Gary McCormick will be providing the entertainment on the evening with Sam Orton catering. Phone now to order your tickets to this event as numbers are limited. I look forward to seeing you there.

Shaun

Mainstreets, the Hawke’s Bay Herald Tribune and Newstalk ZB invite you to attend the

1997 HASTINGS BEST BUSINESS AWARDS BANQUET
at 7.30pm on Friday 29 August, 1997
at the Cheval Room, Hawke’s Bay Racing Centre, Hastings
Afterdinner entertainment will be provided by Gary McCormick.
Tickets are strictly limited and the cost is $45.00 per head.
To reserve your ticket, contact Mainstreets on Ph 876 9093 or post a cheque to PO. Box 420 Hastings

Mainstreets Hastings
BEST BUSINESS
1997

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PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES GALORE

September is shaping up to be a great promotional opportunity for Hastings businesses with a number of retail oriented activities planned.

Hawke’s Bay Getaways
The Hastings Tourism Trust and tourism operators are joining forces to promote weekend getaways to the region during the month of September with some motels already reporting good bookings. The New Zealand Tourism Board cites shopping as one of the major activities undertaken by tourists so be prepared to provide the service and excellent experience they want – they’ll come back if you do!

The Rally Of Hawkes Bay
Part of the national rally championship round, the organisers are expecting 160+ cars and over 1000 visitors to the city. The rally itself will start from the East Mall on Friday 11 September at about 11.00pm.

To take advantage of this, the rally cars, international drivers and a whole lot more activity will be taking place from 6.00pm in the West Mall on Friday 11 September in a Carnival type event. Live music, competitions and the opportunity to look at and sit in the cars will provide a draw into the city on the evening and Mainstreets recommends that businesses in the vicinity open until 8.00pm to capitalise on the crowds in town.

Blossom Festival
The Festival opens with a performance by the internationally acclaimed Kahurangi Maori Dance Company in the West Mall on Saturday 20 September. The annual Blossom Festival Window Display Competition will be run with great prizes on offer. We would love to see businesses give this the effort that was given it in the past.

On the evening of Friday 26 September, Mainstreets is planning a major Stunts Extravganza [Extravaganza] throughout the CBD, with activities taking place in each of the main blocks. This will take place between 5.30pm and 8.00pm, and we ask that shops participate in the Mad Blossom Sale with discounts etc.

The Herald Tribune will be approaching businesses to take part in a feature to be published in support of this night so take this opportunity to clean out some of the old stock and convert it to cash. National retailers need to be contacting their head offices to ensure that you can be a part in this event with great bargains / product launches etc etc.

THE ODD SPOT

Congratulations to Richardsons Pharmacy and Ian Kerr Pharmacy for their window displays in support of the Badminton Test last month. We understand that they were delighted with the support received from locals, and it was a shame more businesses did not get in behind our team. I hope you enjoyed the morning tea.

Welcome to the new OMS store being fitted out in the West Mall, (where Payless Shoes were).

Also a big welcome to the new Guthrie Bowron store soon to open on the corner of Heretaunga and Hastings Streets. Its great to see a real homewares cluster forming in the area with Hutchisons [Hutchinsons], Kershaws and the Native Furniture Gallery.

Congratulations are in order for the Police presence we had in the central city over the school holidays and recently. I have been told that reported crime dropped significantly and a number of problem youth are effectively banned from being in the inner city as a result of family group conference decisions.

The security patrols have also reported fairly quiet going at present, due in part to the cold weather we have experienced. Give a thought for the team out and about protecting your property in the cold and dark.

One area that is still causing problems is insecure buildings. Don’t forget to check and double check your building security as you leave each night.

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Message From The President

Hi. I hope we are all out there spring cleaning our customer service. Wouldn’t it be great to be nominated in the inaugural Hastings Best Business Awards?

I’m really excited about these awards as they are a very real way of changing peoples perceptions of Hastings, its business area and business people.

We need to make a strong commitment to our businesses and see that our employees are trained as well as possible to carry out the goals of our businesses. Lets use this lead up time to the Best Business Awards to make sure that our staff know as much as possible about the products they sell and are fully conversant with the businesses policies and procedures.

Lets put the quality back into doing business in Hastings. By quality I mean hiring quality people, giving them quality training, adopting new technology and methods to become more efficient. Operating a clean and user friendly business. Displaying merchandise in an attractive manner and incorporating attractive signage to inform customers of the benefits and features of produces [products] and services. Most of all we need to learn to do it right the first time and every time.

After all the hard work is done, get a table together and enjoy the Hastings social event of the year – The 1997 Hastings Business Awards Banquet. This will be a great evening and a great opportunity to reward staff for their extra efforts. The presence of Gary McCormick will ensure an entertaining evening is had by all. Good luck to everyone and remember the only thing worse than training staff and losing them, is not training them and keeping them.

Sue Hardy.

1997 Blossom Parade – 1.30pm, Saturday 27 September

With 30+ floats and 7 bands already registered for this years parade, work is well underway in sheds, garages and workshops as teams of elves plan taking part in the parade.

It has been noticed that CBD businesses have been poorly represented within the parade over the last few years, making it increasingly difficult for Mainstreets to argue for the retention of the parade within the central city. Mainstreets this year is entering a float (with plans to remain secret) and we would love to have other central city businesses join us in this years parade – Hastings most obvious celebration.

If you are wanting advice or help, contact the Hastings Community Arts Centre (ph 878 9447) who can put you in touch with anything from professional float makers, engineers, tractors and material suppliers. They have also been able to negotiate discounted crepe paper supplies and arrange cutting/twisting.

Businesses who have taken part in the past have confirmed that float making and participation can be a wonderful team building exercise, and the stories of quiet beers turning into fully fledged parties are all true we understand.

Don’t let this years parade happen without you taking part – start planning / building your float today so that all of Hastings (25000+) can see you as an active part of our community on the 27th.

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[BLOSSOM PARADE MAP

Starts at Hastings Race Course

• north on Southland Road to Heretaunga Street
• east on Heretaunga Street to Market Street
• north on Market Street to Queen Street
• east on Queen Street to Karamu Road North
• south on Karamu Road North to Heretaunga Street
• east on Heretaunga Street to Warren Street
• south on Warren Street to Lyndon Road
• west on Lyndon Road to Civic Square

Finishes at Civic Square]

This newsletter is published by Mainstreets Hastings Inc. PO Box 420, Hastings.
For further information, contact the coordinator, Shaun Lines on Ph 876 9093, or Fax 878 3773.