News Releases
Five Major Banks to Participate in World’s First Speed Lending event. 17 August 2009
We have all heard of speed dating where groups of people meet for five minutes, make small talk then move onto the next person.
In a revolutionary move The Hub Hornby will be applying this concept to the world of bank lending. On Saturday 29 August The Hub Hornby is set to host the world’s first Speed Lending gathering.
Bringing together five major banks, customers who are looking to take out a mortgage or re-finance will be able to spend five minutes with each institution, gathering information on the best deals and services available to them. Once the five minutes is up a bell will sound and they will move onto the next bank representative. A single, self-copying form is the only paperwork that needs to be completed on the day and the event is free to participate in.
Mall Manager, Jason Marsden says “This is a brand new concept in the world of banking. For working people who are time poor this is the ideal way to sit face to face with representatives from five major banks in under half an hour. At the end of this time the customer should have a good idea of which institutions have the best offering for them. From the banks perspective this initiative will provide a good number of potential customers in a very short space of time.”
“Banks are not normally known for working together but this idea has been enthusiastically embraced and a mall is the ideal venue to facilitate such an event” says Mr Marsden.
The five major banks who will be participating in Speed Lending on the day are ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac. Registrations for the event will be open from 9.30am on the day and Speed Lending will run from 10am until 4pm.
Public hand sanitising stations set up at Mall. 23 June 2009
In an effort to help combat the transmission of germs spread by contact The Hub Hornby has set up free hand sanitising stations throughout the Centre at strategic locations including near the Foodcourt and toilet facilities.
Influenza is able to survive for up to 48 hours on some surfaces. If people contact theses surfaces and they then touch their eyes or mouth there is the possibility of infection spreading.
The stations utilise a quality sanitising agent that is dispensed as a foam and easily rubbed over the hands. It then evaporates leaving the hands germ free for up to 24 hours.
Whilst being well known for its well maintained and hygienic facilities The Hub has increased the frequency of bathroom and other contact surface cleaning and is also using stronger cleaning products to ensure that surfaces are as hygienic as possible.
Centre Operations Manager Kiri Thomson says "we recognise that proper hand washing and sanitising can play a major role in slowing the transmission of influenza and other germs that can be spread by surface contact. The establishment of these stations is a proactive measure that will help protect our customers throughout the influenza season".
The Hub Hornby First Mall to Gain Enviro-Mark® NZ Certification. 22 May 2009
Recently The Hub Hornby has become the first Mall in New Zealand to be certified to Enviro-Mark® NZ Bronze level.
The Enviro-Mark programme is an internationally available programme that Landcare Research develops and manages in New Zealand. Through a process of review, documentation and auditing this certification provides independent third party verification that the Mall is not only saying it is doing something for the environment but is actually achieving measurable results.
The Hub Hornby has been leading the way in environmental initiatives to conserve resources and reduce wastage.Electricity has been one of the main areas of focus with a sophisticated computer programme running air conditioning throughout the public areas including automatic settings for the air curtains at the entrances and the ramping down of air conditioning latter in the day to make use of the latent heat in the building.
Lighting is also computer controlled with groups of lights going off when there is enough natural light coming through skylights. Afterhours only critical lights are on to provide enough light for the cleaners to work by. External carpark lights and signage are also computer controlled utilising both time of day criteria and daylight sensors ensuring lighting is only on when necessary.
Motion activated lights have been installed in the Parents’ Rooms with timers to turn them off when not in use. Pre-existing skylights were also re-established down the service corridor to provide light during the day with ancillary lights only coming on when the natural daylight drops below a set level. The energy efficiency of any new lighting installed was also a factor in the decision making process. Collectively these measures have saved the Mall thousands of dollars in electricity charges each month.
The Mall used to run a large diesel fired boiler for heating but this was removed and heat is now provided by modern reverse cycle heat pumps. The introduction of these heat pumps also saw the removal of the evaporative coolers which resulted in a much more efficient system and yielded additional water savings. Water conservation is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for Christchurch and The Hub Hornby has been very proactive in this area with all pre-existing irrigation disconnected and gardens progressively replaced with drought resistant native plantings. Internally wash room taps have been replaced with motion activated units which are not only more hygienic but also conserve water.
Alterations were made to allow a larger rubbish compactor onsite. This reduced the number of pickups required thus saving fuel for the transport of the rubbish offsite. Cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, aluminium and used cooking oil are all recycled thus reducing waste going to landfill.
With Espresso Car Wash onsite customers can have their vehicle professionally washed whilst shopping. The Espresso system utilises much less water than someone would traditionally use if washing their vehicle at home and all runoff from vehicles being washed is captured and appropriately dealt with rather than going into the storm water system.
Even the Centre’s taxi provider, First Direct, has a high number of hybrid and low emissions vehicles in its fleet. A lockable bike shed has also been proved onsite to help promote staff cycling to work.
Within the Mall’s Management office waste paper is recycled into note paper and emails are replacing a lot of memos that would have previously gone out on paper. The office used to be solely reliant of electrical lighting but a window has been added which brings in natural light reducing the need for artificial light as well as creating a better work environment.All of the plants in the Mall are real thus helping to remove impurities in the air as well as creating a pleasant ambience.
Many tenants also have their own recycling initiatives in place to compliment those of the Mall.
Centre Operations Manager, Kiri Thomson, says “resource conservation, waste minimisation and environmental initiatives can yield considerable cost savings as well as providing a real sense of achievement and satisfaction. Our retailers, suppliers and consultants have been great supporters of these initiatives with many complimenting the Mall’s processes with their own systems. We are constantly looking at what else can be achieved and are confident that there are still additional gains to be made”.
The Hub is continually working on improving its environmental systems and is currently working on achieving Enviro-Mark Silver certification.
Singles Shopping Night – World First for Mall. 21 January 2009
In a world first The Hub Hornby will be hosting a special singles shopping night on Thursday 12 February.
Overseas there have been stories about singles meeting in supermarkets on certain nights and indicating their availability by positioning bananas a certain way in their shopping basket or attaching a red bow to their shopping trolley. This event however will see the whole Mall turn into a singles destination.
This free event will run from 6pm to 9pm and looks set to provide a fun evening for some shopping, mingling and the chance to meet someone special in time for Valentines.
These days more and more people are turning to the internet in the hope of finding someone special but this event will provide a more traditional opportunity for people to meet face to face. If a match does occur it will certainly make for an entertaining “how we met” story.
The first 350 shoppers will receive a pack containing some special vouchers including a two for one movie pass along with an invite and free drink voucher to the after-party to be held at Finns Bar, across Chalmers St from the Mall. There will also be a special numbered sticker that when matched with the customer’s mystery twin will enter both customers into a prize draw.
Mall Manager Jason Marsden says “This is a unique event that will bring together some of the estimated 100,000+ single Cantabrians*. With this many single people a mall is the ideal venue with plenty of parking and great onsite facilities. The Hub has always had a fantastic relaxed atmosphere and I’m sure everyone will have a great time wandering around, doing some shopping, having a chat to someone new and maybe having a snack in the foodcourt. ”
*Source: 2006 Census, 151,959 single people usually resident in Canterbury, equates to 36% of the Canterbury population aged over 15.
Top 12 Tips for Reducing Stress whilst Christmas Shopping at a Mall. 16 December 2008
For some shoppers Christmas is a joy that they plan for all year and even purchase the majority of their gifts well ahead of the holiday season. However for a large percentage of people Christmas can be stressful. Apart from the usual pressures of juggling children and work commitments the time required to prepare for Christmas, shop and even deal with potentially large numbers of extended family members can raise the stress levels.
This turns what should be a happy event with quality family time into a stress laden nonstop onslaught. For many the thought of having to spend an evening or two elbowing through a crowded mall trying to find suitable gifts (after the usual frustration of a busy mall carpark) is harrowing.
Below are some tips bought to your by The Hub Hornby to make your Christmas mall visit a little bit less stressful.
1. Plan ahead, make a list of who you need to shop for, any potential gift ideas and if appropriate note expected value of gifts.
2. Check mall trading hours. Late night hours will vary from centre to centre and even during the lead up to Christmas. In an industry leading move The Hub Hornby will be opening from 8am as of the 16 December which will allow customers to call in on the way to work, avoid the evening crowds and deal with fresh staff at the beginning of the day.
3. Don’t try and park right at the main doors. A minute’s walk through a car park may save several frustrated minutes of circling trying to find a closer park. The temptation to just pop into an unused mobility park may resultin a ticket or worse yet your vehicle being clamped (The Hub Hornby does not clamp or tow vehicles but infringing vehicles are issued with a $45 notice).
4. Be gracious when navigating the carpark- remember everyone may be stressed and carpark rage does not make for an enjoyable start to a shopping trip.
5. Observe the posted parking time limits. Whilst there is usually a grace period the shorter time spaces such as P10 and P60 are designed for single store visits. Many external stores rely on the high turnover of adjoining carparks for their customers and if you are just popping in to collect an urgent prescription for a sick child having a handy P10 available can be a great relief. Most centres offer three hour parking. If you know you will be onsite longer it always pays to talk to centre management about longer stay parking options.
6. Take note of where you have parked- a bright ribbon on a car aerial can make locating your vehicle in a busy carpark that much easier.
7. Make use of the gift wrapping service but don’t forget to label each gift as it is wrapped as you may forget which box is for whom when you get home. Many centres offer free gift wrapping but The Hub Hornby asks for a gold coindonation which goes to the Cure Kids foundation to aid research into serious childhood illnesses.
8. If you know you are going to be buying several large and heavy items save them to the end of your visit so you do not have to carry them around for the whole time.
9. If at a mall with the family arrange to meet back at the Foodcourt at a certain time for a meal or snack together and to update each other on progress.
10. If you are taking small children a cellphone number written on the back of their hand/arm will speed their return if they become lost or separated. Alternatively make a bracelet with a phone number on it as a fun family craft activity
11. Keep receipts together in one place to avoid them getting thrown out with the carry bag or lost during gift wrapping. 12. Take advantage of store exchange cards if available- it is amazing how many times gifts can double up and the exchange option will be a great relief.
Elves frantic but Santa Cool. 19 November 2008
Santa will be arriving at The Hub Hornby’s northern entrance, next to the Florist, at 10am on Saturday 29 November. From there he will make his way through the Mall to his new Santa grotto so that children can come and visit him to personally tell him what they would like for Christmas. All the children visiting Santa at The Hub will receive a free Santa Knows Best sticker and storybook to help pass the time until the big day.
Santa says “I really enjoy meeting the children at The Hub because they all are all so well behaved and it is great to catch up with them and see how they have grown since last year”.
Cultures come together for New Zealand Day at The Hub Hornby. 19 August 2008
The Hub Hornby will be hosting its own New Zealand Day celebrations on Saturday 30 August. Several cultural groups will be performing throughout the day along with other static displays and free national flag face painting for the children.
Performing groups include Kapa Haka, Scottish Country Dance, Gaelic dance, traditional Indian dance, Fijian and Chinese Cultural groups.
Centre Manager Jason Marsden says “Officially Waitangi Day is New Zealand Day and it marks a very important part of New Zealand’s history but it does tend to polarise people. We wanted to create a day where all Kiwis could come together, from all cultures, in a positive atmosphere and say it is great being a New Zealander. Hopefully momentum for such a day will gather and others will pick up on this idea in the following years”.
The Mall will be decorated with New Zealand flags to boost the patriotic feel and several VIPs are expected to make an appearance during the day.
Marsden says “I was in Sydney for their Australia Day celebrations and frankly I was envious of the patriotism on display. Australia has its fair share of race relations issues but to see crowds of people draped in their national flag just put into perspective for me how little of that we see in New Zealand”.
The Hub Hornby services the Selwyn District which is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing populations. The Mall has a strong focus on maintaining and growing a sense of community and this day is set to further build on that spirit.
Higher Fuel Prices Contributing to Boom at Mall. 16 June 2008
Despite wide reports of a depressed economy and fewer disposable dollars in people’s pockets The Hub Hornby has just seen one of its most successful trading months on record.
For May 2008 total Mall turnover was up 9.0% on May 2007.
“Higher fuel prices will be the deciding factor for some shoppers to patronise their local shopping centre rather than drive past to another venue.” Says Centre Manager Jason Marsden.
The Hub Hornby services the greater Hornby area and the Selwyn District which is seeing the third highest population growth in New Zealand according to the latest Census data.
“We are mindful that to stay relevant to this growing community we need to have the shops and facilities here that our customers want. The Mall is growing with new shops and banks being added, an ASB, the first for the area, is currently setting up a branch here and is due to open in eight weeks.” Says Marsden.
Mall goes to 100% NZ Music. 28 April 2008
The Hub Hornby’s background music system will be playing 100% New Zealand music for the month of May. This coincides with New Zealand Music Month.
Mall Manager Jason Marsden says “We are confident that there is enough great New Zealand music that customers could spend an entire week here without hearing the same track twice.”
New Zealand Flags mark ANZAC Day. 14 March 2008
In an unusual move The Hub Hornby has gone with a patriotic theme to commemorate ANZAC Day with New Zealand flags installed throughout the Centre. Traditionally apart from the presence of Poppy Day collectors, malls have not marked ANZAC Day. Mall Manager, Jason Marsden says “We have a very active local RSA and of course Burnham army camp falls within our catchment area. Although not a major trading day due to reduced hours we are mindful of the increased interest in ANZAC Day and have also installed posters featuring photos and information on the Canterbury Mounted Rifles. Compared to some other countries our national flag is not seen out and about that often so this provided a great opportunity to not only mark ANZAC Day but generate a bit of a patriotic flavour throughout the Centre”.
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