New Regent Street, Cashel Mall and the BNZ Centre laneways have all reported visibly stronger weekend foot traffic over the past quarter, according to several store owners spoken to by the Bulletin.

Marketplace data from Heart of the City and ChristchurchNZ shows pedestrian counts at key intersections up between five and twelve per cent on the same period last year. The largest gains have been on Saturdays between 10am and 2pm.

Retailers credit a combination of factors: a busier event calendar, the gradual return of office workers to five-day rosters, and warmer weather drawing diners back to outdoor seating along Oxford Terrace and the Terrace Riverside.

Independent operators said the lift was welcome but cautioned that conversion rates — the share of browsers who buy — remain below 2019 levels. Several are leaning into experiential retail, hosting in-store tastings, workshops and trunk shows to build loyalty.