Lambton Quay (once known as The Beach) is the heart of the central business district of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand.

[1][2] Originally, as the name implies, it was the high-water line of the foreshore, and sometimes the sea would roll across the road and enter the shops on the opposite side.

[5] Land uplift caused by the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake and further reclamation have left Lambton Quay some 250 metres from the current shoreline.

[8] The city's retail trade has spread further south to also include Cuba Street, but Lambton Quay remains a major commercial thoroughfare.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Arcus expressed concern that these changes could affect local businesses and emphasised the need for consultation.