Painters and decorators flood post-quake Christchurch

Christchurch is brimming with painters and decorators, with 80 per cent more employed in the city now than before the February 22, 2011 earthquake.

The latest information from Statistics New Zealand shows Christchurch bucked the national trend in the construction industry for the year following the February quake.

Overall New Zealand experienced a 0.8 per cent drop in business, but in Christchurch the number of construction businesses grew by 10.9 per cent from 3873 to 4294.

The number of painting and decorating businesses in the city rose 35.7 per cent and the number of their employees increased by a whopping 83.3 per cent from 660 to 1210.

House construction business numbers increased by 11.2 per cent, with a 49.3 per cent growth in the number of employees.

In comparison there was a national growth of 2.3 per cent in the number of people employed in construction.

Statistics New Zealand business, financial and trade manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said February 2011 to February 2012 was "a significant period of change for our city".

"Given the impact of the earthquakes what we have observed from this information is actually the general resilience of Christchurch businesses," she said.

The number of businesses in Christchurch in the 12 months following the February 22, 2011 earthquake dropped 2.5 per cent, from 37,340 down to 36,420.

Statistics New Zealand grouped its Christchurch data into three zones - the central business district, western and eastern areas of the city.

Of the three zones, the CBD saw the largest reduction in the number of businesses, down by over a third at 34.6 per cent less, and a 38.4 per cent reduction in employees.

The Eastern Zone saw a small decrease of 1.7 per cent in the number of business locations but little change in the number of employees.

In contrast, business and employee numbers in the Western Zone rose significantly.

There was a 6.1 per cent increase in the number of businesses located in the western suburbs, from 20,440 in February 2011 up to 21,690 in February 2012.

The number of employees rose by 15.9 per cent.

Said Mrs Holmes-Oliver: "Basically the growth in the Western Zone has offset the majority of the drop in the central business district as a result of the earthquakes and relocation."

Christchurch's hospitality sector suffered the most.

Mrs Holmes-Oliver said this was: "relatively unsurprising given the concentration of bars, accommodation, taverns, cafes, restaurants within the red zone or the CBD."

The number of cafes and restaurants fell 19.1 per cent and employees in these businesses decreased by 14.7 per cent.

Pubs, taverns and bars, dropped in number by 13.5 per cent, with employees decreasing by 3.1 per cent.

Meanwhile the number of employees in accommodation dropped by 35.9 per cent as the number of business locations fell 8.8 per cent.

Note: The number of employees as stated in Statistics New Zealand's information is not an official measurement of employment as it is based on information reported by businesses.

Much of the data is based on information from the Inland Revenue Department.

Construction employee numbers do not include contractors or self-employed workers, only those paid directly by the business and registered with IRD for PAYE.