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Noel McGuigan from Tiffany's restaurant - Source: ONE News -
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With Christchurch's 'red zone' shrinking, businesses in the CBD
are beginning to reopen with owners working on ways to lure
customers back.
Though more than 320 buildings are scheduled to be demolished,
those able to return say the reopened parts in the centre of town
are completely safe.
For the owner of Tiffanys Restaurant, Noel McGuigan, the opportunity to open again has been long awaited, and took a whole heap of elbow grease.
"We had to remove all the liquor&clean the glass and the mess up and dump all the food. The food was absolutely&well you wouldn't want to be around it," McGuigan told ONE News.
Now, thanks to all the staff lending a helping hand Tiffanys is open for business again.
"I think the first thing is getting up and getting going and the team here have been fantastic. We've had the chefs out of the kitchen with power tools."
Roads in the area are reopening, pedestrians are returning, and other businesses up the street are also keen to welcome back customers.
"People are wanting to come back in, they're just a little bit unsure as to how safe it is and what's going to be here when they do come in," said Eileen Strickland from The Wedding Centre.
There were 6000 businesses in the CBD, which employed 54,000 people.
While only a few have been able to return to their original buildings, over 70% are back up and running elsewhere.
Paul Lonsdale from the Central City Business Association told ONE News the business community returning brings a boost of optimism.
"They're really just pleased to get back to work, it's getting
their employees back and give themselves something to do."
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