Yesterday he issued a special plea for all businesses and commercial operators in the Queenstown Lakes District to observe the "undeniable signi-ficance" of Anzac Day and stay closed from midnight tomorrow until 1pm on Saturday.
Even before he issued his press statement, it seemed at least one bar had got his message in advance, withdrawing an application for a special licence, which was to have been heard yesterday.
Queenstown Police liquor licensing Sergeant Keith Newell would not name the bar, but said it had withdrawn the application just before a District Licensing Authority hearing.
This means all Queenstown and Wanaka's bars will close at midnight tomorrow, quite a contrast with the recent Easter trading period for which four bars had special licences.
Mr Geddes said businesses in the QLDC area had got "better and better" over the years in observing closures on Anzac Day and and he hoped the trend would continue this weekend.
He pointed out Queenstown, in particular, had quite an exemption from the normal shop trading hours compared with other towns and he felt it was not asking too much for retailers in the tourism resort to shut down for one 12-hour period and take part in the Anzac ceremonies.
When asked, Mr Geddes did concede there had been "issues" in the past with shops and cafes owned by non-New Zealanders staying open, but he described this as more of a "misunderstanding" by some who had failed to realise the importance of Anzac Day.
"It is an important day for everyone, from fifth generation New Zealanders to those who became New Zealanders last week," he said, adding: "I want the centre of Queenstown to be like a tomb."
He urged those who could not attend services to at least line the streets to watch parades and predicted this year's services in Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka and Hawea would be "packed out", with standing room only likely at most venues.
The mayor will attend the 10am service at the Queenstown Memorial Hall.
Deputy mayor John S. Wilson, of Wanaka, will be the guest speaker at the 10am memorial service in Arrowtown.
