Hospitality

After eight months working as a kitchen hand, a 16-year-old says she felt backed into a corner by her employer who told her she no longer had a job if she did not sign a casual contract.

The bite of tough times has been so hard, their annual awards celebrations have been pushed back to next year.

Accommodation in the capital this weekend is booked up due to a double whammy of the World of Wearable Arts and an All Blacks game. Audio

Ongoing construction woes, rising crime and a sluggish economy are just some of the issues haunting dining establishments in the city centre.

At full capacity, The Indian Star on Rotorua's Eat Streat used to have 130 people seated for a meal - now it is lucky to have 30.