Let’s be honest, life in Christchurch was rather boring following the February 2011 earthquake! All of the bars, restaurants, movie theaters, etc. located in the central city, and many located out in the suburbs, were closed down or demolished due to damage. However, the past few months has seen a resurgence of these establishments as businesses relocate and reinvent themselves.

Container mall

A number of them have even found a creative new use for the humble container. AUIP’s Eleanor was recently in Christchurch and enjoyed lunch in RE:Start, which is the new container mall that has been erected in Cashel Street, bordering the red zone. Lonely Planet was also recently in Christchurch and have written this thorough article, not only on RE:Start, but on the other exciting developments taking place around the city. Check it out here: What to do in Christchurch: your post-quake guide