Earlier this year, the North Shore City Council approved a resource consent for an 11-unit self described "Brazilian Motel' in a bleak Glenfield light-industrial culdesac.
Conditions of the consent were subject to the motel providing 14 car parks. The Motel was able to provide for 10 car parking spaces on site and arranged a lease agreement with a neighbouring business for six more car parks after 6pm on weeknights.
A brothel licence was separately applied for by the motel's backers "to prevent confusion about the proposed motel's purpose."
After the nature of the Desire Motel was speculated in the media, the neighbouring business owners cried foul and withdrew arrangements for car parking. Along with local residents, the local business owners successfully opposed the motel's waiver application to operate as a brothel within 250 metres of a residential area.
So where does this leave the motel?
Well, without adequate car parking, the motel can only operate with a maximum of 7 guest rooms on weekdays, however all 11 guest rooms can be used on weekends due to the low parking demand in this industrial area during this time.
The motel's backers have consistently downplayed the motel's prostitution angle throughout their trial by media. They have insisted that the motel's core business would cater for couples who required a private rendezvous to bond and spend time together in 11-themed guest rooms that are let by the hour - Just like the successful Love Hotels in South America and Asia.
If this is their true market target, we wonder how successful a Kiwi "Love Motel" would be? We know that motels can be used for the odd tryst by amorous couples. Our motelier-friends at airport motels tell of a local market that are attracted to their "hourly rates" designed for international travellers to refresh before and after long-haul travel.
Will the couples market really sustain a destination motel located in a light-industrial zoned Glenfield culdesac? Or will the business need a substantial contribution from another market demographic? We note with interest that without a brothel licence the motel can still have prostitutes on-site that are working for themselves.
It remains to be seen if the Desire Motel will still be considered viable?
