Rotorua hospitality operators have voiced their outrage at the proposal to shift the city's iconic Thursday Night Market.
A decision to relocate Rotorua’s beloved Thursday Night Market from its long-time home on Tūtānekai Street to Kuirau Park has ignited outrage among local business owners and stallholders, with critics calling the move “short-sighted” and “out of touch.”
The market, a Thursday night fixture for 15 years, has been a cornerstone of Rotorua’s CBD life, known for its food trucks, boutique stalls, and live entertainment. But in a surprise move, Rotorua Lakes Council announced the event would be trialled at a new location in an effort to slash costs and address safety concerns.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell defended the decision, and said the council needed to find a “more sustainable” way to operate the market. Running the event costs around NZD 200,000 a year, with traffic management alone swallowing a significant portion of the budget. Tapsell noted that relocating to Kuirau Park could save NZD 25,000 in traffic costs and as much as NZD 100,000 by closing during the winter months.
But local hospitality veteran Reg Hennessy, owner of Hennessy’s Irish Bar and one of the market’s original organisers, said the move “defies common sense.” He was particularly angered to learn of the change by email a day before the public announcement. He said it showed no empathy for the small businesses that have kept the CBD alive, and the market has been one of the few consistent draws downtown. He said this decision feels lazy, a bureaucratic brush-off.
Stallholders also voiced frustration, warning that the move could reduce foot traffic and cost jobs. Many said they feared rent hikes if a private operator took over. Public feedback backed them up: only 11 percent of submissions to the council’s 2025–26 Annual Plan supported changing location, while a third wanted the market to stay put.
Restaurant owner Sarah Little of Sabroso, another founding supporter, said the shift disregards community sentiment. She said this market was built by locals for locals, and moving it risks undoing years of goodwill and connection.
Tapsell maintained the relocation was a trial, not a permanent shift, and asked the community to give it a fair go. Kuirau Park already hosts successful Saturday markets and offers better parking and safety. She said the goal was to ensure the night market can grow and thrive, not disappear.
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