A series of long-standing Wellington businesses have closed this year, citing the tough business climate - including Pandoro bakery, which closed in September. Photo: RNZ / Kate Green
The bite of tough times for Wellington hospitality businesses has been so hard, their annual awards celebrations have been pushed back to next year.
Organisers said the Felix Wellington Hospitality Awards were being pushed back to 2025 after the year of challenges the industry had faced.
Businesses, including hospitality, had seen a massive drop in customers, with the blame put down to public sector job cuts, people working from home, and the cost of living.
So far this year, more than 50 stores had closed between Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay, including the likes of Pandoro bakery and Egmont Street Eatery.
The latest casualty was Bordeaux Bakery on Thorndon Quay, which closed its doors for the final time on Sunday night.
Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said postponing the awards was a difficult and sad decision to make.
Marisa Bidois Photo: Supplied
"Many of our sponsors have communicated to us that the timing around that for many of our bigger supporters works better for them, so that's where we've landed," she said.
"It's certainly not where we wanted to be at all... but unfortunately as a not for profit we are largely dictated by the economy as well."
She said since Covid-19 it had been a difficult few years for the industry.
"Increasing costs, Covid loan recovery that many of the industry are carrying over, been a bit of a downturn in customer visits as well," Bidois said.
She viewed moving the awards not as another blow, but as a way to showcase the best of Wellington's hospitality sector.
"We thought it was better to create an event that people are used to seeing, we didn't want to have to scale back anything or deliver something that wasn't at the standards that we would usually produce these events to...
"It was better to put something on next year, where we can have the full support of all of our sponsors and produce an event we will all be happy with."
Leading up to next year's awards, organisers plan to highlight past winners, celebrate stories from the industry in Wellington and shine a spotlight on the best talent in the region.
The date for the 2025 event was unconfirmed so far, but was likely to be around April.