Beloved Nelson cafe forced to close after landlord dispute and roadworks woes
A dispute with the landlord and roadworks have made it untenable to continue, the owners say.
A beloved Nelson cafe and gallery has closed its doors after a landlord dispute and ongoing roadworks made it impossible to continue. Red Art Gallery & Café, owned by Ant and Suzi Stevens, had been operating for nine years until the landlord refused to renew their lease, dealing a heavy blow after months of disruption from the Bridge to Better project.
This $78 million initiative involved replacing infrastructure along Bridge Street, causing significant revenue loss for nearby businesses. Despite the council acknowledging the business as the most impacted due to its proximity to the construction, no compensation or support was offered beyond questioning the couple's resilience.
The gallery represented around 60 local artists, who saw their work stop being stocked by the Suter Art Gallery. Owners expressed overwhelming support from the community, but the emotional attachment to their "baby" was too great to bear. Mayor Nick Smith acknowledged the disruption caused by the roadworks, stating they were necessary for infrastructure renewal.
However, he noted the need for continued collaboration to minimize further impacts on affected businesses. Nearby Pizzeria Bella faced an 80% revenue drop during the construction period, with only three employees remaining from an original staff of nine. The rates deferral scheme offered minimal relief, and business owners like Corten expressed doubts about the scheme's efficacy.
As the roadworks progress, the once bustling corridor faces the prospect of becoming an empty street, leaving the community to grapple with the loss of these local businesses.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
