Auckland CBD business owner eager for CRL opening after years of disruption

The City Rail Link has held its official opening in Auckland, with a bar owner saying he's looking forward to reaping the rewards of staying afloat during its construction.A symbolic ribbon was cut on Friday morning at the vast Te Waihorotiu Station, which runs between Victoria Street West and Wellesly St. It's expected to become New Zealand's busiest train station.The ceremony was attended by a large contingent of officials and politicians, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and representatives from Ngati Whatua Orakei.Minister for Rail Winston Peters spoke at the opening too - and even showed off his singing skills with his best Johnny Cash impression.The City Rail Link took ten years to complete and cost $5.5 billion dollars.It has also caused significant disruption for businesses along the route.Craig Wright told Morning Report it's been a long slog to keep Northern Line Bar and Social open near Karanga-a-Hape Station, and he's hoping for consistency and continuity once the new rail loop is running."When you're faced with three metre hoardings, literally, you know, a metre and a half from your doorway, the view isn't great for the customers to sit and look at."Neither is the noise or the smell or the dust."Auckland City rail link construction on Karanga-a-Hape road in 2019.RNZ / Kymberlee FernandesHe said the business made it through those years with "good luck and duct tape"."I think it's probably a testament to the staff that I have have been consistent over the few years that we just stuck in there, we could see, pardon the pun, light at the end of the tunnel."He said the support of the local Karanga-a-Hape road community went a long way and everyone had pitched in to help eachother.As construction hoardings came down and first look events took place, there have been some better days but Wright said he was now hoping for more consistency."We need people to be coming into the city to work and to enjoy activities in the city, but also that they can leave from our stations to go on to other events."He said as exciting as the opening was he was hoping the stations and rail link would be maintained well over a long period of time."Without sounding pessimistic, the day we see rail replacement buses, our hearts are going to drop."So hopefully the maintenance and the future proofing is going to be the proof in the pudding."The CRL opens to the public on Sunday.