WELCOME BACK TOTHE DEVONPORT TEAM

Jemma Glancy 021 246 5300

By Rob Drent

The purchase of the old Devonport Borough Council building, at 3 Victoria Rd, and 17 other commercial buildings in the Devonport village by Peninsula Capital, which is owned by Berridge Spencer, Mark Hiddleston and Graham Turley, is a major shot in the arm for the town centre.

Long-term owners (with Spencer and Turley living locally at Stanley Point, and Hiddleston in Mt Eden), with enough money to properly refurbish and earthquake-strengthen properties to a high standard, is a great outcome for Devonport.

I know of several hospitality groups who have looked at setting up businesses in Devonport and have been put off in recent times by the dual barriers of Lake Rd and the absence of tourists visiting over winter.

Add in the Covid lockdowns and the post-Covid economic slowdown, with empty shops and some buildings looking increasingly shabby, downtown Devonport is probably not looking as attractive as might be expected for a tourist destination.

A new investor in the main street and beyond gives confidence for others to build on.

I also like the idea of a master plan for the Devonport town centre.

During the creation of the ‘supercity’ and the Auckland Unitary Plan, Devonport Heritage wanted the Devonport commercial area to be offered special protection as a separate zone. This was rejected.

But now, with a property owner controlling a significant number of landholdings, this idea should be revisited to give Devonport the best chance to fulfil its potential for locals and tourists alike.

Again, this should be considered alongside a visionary tourism plan for Auckland, which would incorporate walking and cycling over the harbour bridge, light rail to the Shore and trams from Devonport and Takapuna: a long-term vision rather than short-term expediency.

It’s great to see The Depot’s songwriting contest entering its third year, with the added bonus in 2023 of the help of a genuine rock star from the band Goodshirt offered up as part of the recording prize.

I hope a good number of entries are forthcoming. I’m a little bit uneasy though that the organisers have picked a theme – collaboration and community – for this year’s entrants. Shouldn’t young musicians be able to write songs free of any constraint?

Twenty years ago, my son formed a band called Loaded Dice, with his Belmont Intermediate mates. They began playing sets at the all-ages concerts at the Masonic, determined to perform only originals. I’ve still got a video of them playing songs with delightful titles such as Slacker and Empty Wallet

The band later went onto the North Shore Rockquest finals as 13-year-olds, but refused to compete in later years as they didn’t want to be known as a TGS band.

Railing against the establishment through freedom of musical expression has always been one of the touchstones of youth.

Or is this something that resonates more with previous generations?

A picture says a thousand words: a reader sent in this shot taken at the Devonport ferry terminal last week.

With Fullers commuters plagued by late sailings and cancellations over recent months, it seems even Auckland Transport’s signage has got in step.