Exciting new retail experience awaits visitors to Christchurch

Visitors to Christchurch can now enjoy one of the most unique shopping experiences in the world thanks to an innovative project that has turned shipping containers into upmarket retail outlets.

Described by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key as “funky’’, the new brightly-coloured shipping container shopping mall is located in the heart of Christchurch’s city centre and has been constructed to provide a temporary home for some of the retailers displaced by February’s earthquake.

It sits alongside Christchurch’s iconic department store Ballantynes - a favourite with visiting royalty – which has re-opened its doors after an extensive reburbishment.

“The team behind this project have done a fantastic job in creating vibrant, welcoming place in the heart of our city for people to come and shop,’’ says Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter.

“The shipping containers with their glass frontages and balconies look fabulous and there’s lot of lovely courtyard areas where you can relax and enjoy a coffee. What’s been created here is something that is really quite unique and special and we can’t wait to show it off to our visitors.’’

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says the opening of the new central city shopping mall is the start of Christchurch’s come-back .

“As a city we’ve gone through some very tough times but we’re getting back on our feet and this project shows how, with creative thinking and determination, we can build a vibrant, people-friendly city that visitors will want to come back to time and time again. We’ve got big dreams for this city and we’re determined to turn those dreams into a reality.’’

Mr Hunter says with the summer tourism season moving into full swing, the opening of the new central city mall could not have come at a better time.

“We’ve got New Zealand Cup & Show Week on next week and lots of other exciting events coming up so there are going to be lots of visitors in the city. It is great that we can again offer them a central city retailing experience and give them a glimpse of what Christchurch might look like in the future.’’