Vacant retail spaces on Princes Street and around Dunedin are a problem.  George Street, benefiting from proximity to the University, is doing better but still faces challenges; a June 2024 article in the Otago Daily Times carried the headline "George St retailers 'dropping like flies.'" (>)  Dunedin is not alone among cities with lagging retail.  The New Zealand Herald reported in late August 2025, "Auckland CBD shops suffer record New Zealand vacancies: 13% empty, Bayleys finds."  See also: Stats NZ and Retail NZ.
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