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THURSDAY JANUARY 29, 2026
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JANUARY 29, 2026
Town foot traffic rises By Chris Gardner
Cambridge eateries have had a busy January with foot traffic reported to be up nearly 30 per cent on last year, but other retailers say they are yet to see the love. Cambridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kelly Bouzaid said Cambridge was enjoying incremental growth as a destination with year-todate foot traffic growth of 29.8 per cent and a projected 73,954 people expected in January. Asked whether Suburban Kitchen in Robinson Street had seen an uplift in business in line with the foot traffic, manager Damian Furos said: “Definitely. I would say so.” Asked about the clientele, Furos said: “All kinds of people come here, to be honest.” Deli on the Corner and Robert Harris staff were not surprised to hear about the year-on-year rise of foot traffic particularly during the last couple of weeks. But Paper Plus Cambridge store owner Hamish Wright said January had been flat for his business. “There has been a lot of people around,” he said. “But business is still flat.” Last November Wright said the year had been the hardest since the Global Financial Crisis.
Foot traffic in Cambridge has increased, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce figures show.
He is keen to discuss lifting the Easter Sunday trading ban with Waipā District Council. Rather than seeing a rise in foot traffic in his shops in Cambridge, Warren Haakma said he has seen a drop of five and 10 per cent this month compared to January 2025. “I am not sure where these numbers are coming from,” he said. It felt more like the economy was in recession, rather than an uplift.
“Retail has been in decline for three years – 2022 was a good year when the Government was throwing money around and people were spending like it was lolly money.” He and partner Fay opened their Point Break clothing store on Monday, a public holiday. The couple also run Gabriel’s Fashion and Footwear in Duke Street. Rather than send out negative vibes, Haakma said, he was keen to discuss
turning things around for the district’s retail sector with a buy local campaign encouraging shopping in the Waipā district. Madisons Fashion, in Duke Street, had closed on January 10 after 10 years because of the downturn “We’re seeing a strong lift in people detouring into town not only for essentials like public toilets and convenience stops, but increasingly for boutique shopping, culinary
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experiences, and a growing calendar of community and sporting events such as Waka Ama,” Bouzaid said, “This combination is driving genuine dwell time — and that matters for local business. “From a Cambridge Chamber of Commerce perspective, this is exactly the ecosystem we want to support: a town where visitors don’t just pass through, but stop, explore, eat, shop and
return. Foot traffic growth directly reflects business opportunity, confidence, and local economic resilience. “From a Destination Cambridge lens, this reinforces Cambridge’s positioning as a lifestyle destination — not just a waypoint. Our tree-lined streets, independent retailers, cafés and restaurants, riverside experiences, sporting culture and events calendar are all working together to create a compelling visitor proposition. “Importantly, this momentum is being further enhanced by the gradual development of a stronger night economy — with hospitality, dining, events and social spaces giving people more reasons to stay later, connect longer, and experience Cambridge beyond daylight hours. The Cambridge Town Hall is also doing a superb job in this space.” Bouzaid said the growth in foot traffic reflected years of patience, destination marketing, council investment, community groups and event organisers contributing to a town that is increasingly vibrant, welcoming and economically active. “Cambridge is not just growing in numbers — it is growing in energy, identity and confidence,” she said.
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