12 Nov 2024

Coldplay's in Auckland, and Mount Eden businesses are excited for the crowds

9:18 am on 12 November 2024
Burgerfuel Mt Eden manager Ryan Lay.

Burgerfuel Mt Eden manager Ryan Lay. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell

One of the biggest bands in the world have touched down in New Zealand - with about 150,000 people set to see Coldplay at Auckland's Eden Park this week across three shows.

The English band are in the midst of a 222 date, three-year world tour, wrapping up in London next September.

First Up visited nearby businesses to see how they were preparing for the flurry of customers.

Outside his store on Dominion Road, Gorgeous New York Pizza owner Wayne Hull was busy unpacking supplies from his car. He was full of anticipation for Wednesday, when the first Coldplay fans will flood the footpath.

"Oh, it's amazing. We've only got one stadium and it's good to use it! It's fantastic for business, we need it."

For Hull, occasions like these help keep the lights on.

"It triples my business, it means I can employ more staff, it means that I get to use more produce, sell a lot more liquor, so right across the board there's a domino effect.

"If I'm busy, all my suppliers are busy, my staff are busy, I can give them more hours and everyone's happy and it's great to be a part of something like that. It feels like we're actually a part of the concert ourselves, and everyone's hyped."

He would like to see everyone getting on board and embracing the occasion.

"I just wish that the business associations would actually get behind it more. We should be having Coldplay flags everywhere. We should get behind the the use of it and stop fighting things and just go with it."

Paasha owner Ismael Mustafa.

Paasha owner Ismael Mustafa. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell

At nearby Paasha Turkish restaurant, owner Ismael Mustafa said the recent Travis Scott show was mayhem, in a good way.

"Before the concert was crazy, and after the concert was packed. That night we ran out of everything! We did had nothing to give them after 1am, so we said, 'OK. Sorry, guys. We're closing now.'"

Just up around the corner, Mt Eden Burgerfuel manager Ryan Lay was getting ready to pump out hundreds of burgers.

"I think the biggest I've seen is maybe 580 burgers. That was during the P!nk concert at the start of the year."

He said some gig-goers have deeper pockets than others.

"It really depends who the concerts cater towards, whether it's the younger audience or the older audience. Like the Travis Scott concert, it did increase sales, but I feel like something like Coldplay is going to do a lot more business because of the older market, which, yeah, old people have more money right?"

Suzanne Harley-Conway, owner of Clare Inn.

Suzanne Harley-Conway, owner of Clare Inn. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell

At the Clare Inn Irish Bar, owner Suzanne Harley-Conway said the buzz being generated by the three Coldplay concerts was bringing a much needed morale boost.

"It's absolutely huge. It's been a fairly tricky year for a lot of people this year, so just to have something like that, they usually go off really well."

Movenpick manager Sharanjeet Singh.

Movenpick manager Sharanjeet Singh. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell

Meanwhile at the Movenpick Ice Cream store, manager Sharanjeet Singh was expecting to churn through the ice cream and toilet paper as concert goers headed home, with many popping in to use the toilet.

"Some people ask if they can use it, but some they just don't bother and just go and use it and walk away, it is kind of frustrating. When we try to say this is not a public toilet, and customers just ignore or don't care pretty much."

Back at the Clare Inn, Harley-Conway said Chris Martin and his band themselves are welcome to pop by for a pint.

"Absolutely! They're even welcome to sing a song," she said, laughing.

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