Is Farmers coming to Frankton - or the police?

An intriguing clue as what's next for the former H&J Smith department store at Frankton's Remarkables Park shopping centre has appeared.

It's a partially covered up police station sign.

Many locals have been speculating that a branch of the popular Farmers department store may take over the large floor space, but there's been no confirmation of that development.

It looks real...

Crux has asked police if the new signage is an indication that they are planning to follow the move of many other local enterprises in abandoning the CBD in favour of Frankton, where there's more (and free) parking and closer proximity to where many of us now live and shop.

It seems unlikely given the size of the existing CBD police station, but perhaps the police are thinking to cash in on their town centre real estate and move somewhere a little bit cheaper?

But no.

We've been told by police that the apparent new station is a film set.

And we assume it's part of the New Zealand-European production currently being filmed in the district, 'A Remarkable place to Die'.

So - back to the drawing board.

Will Farmers come to Queenstown or will our local police force be inspired by the production crew to do a bit of their own property speculation and make the shift to Frankton?

That may in turn convince the Queenstown Lakes District Council to shift Project Manawa out that way as well.

Watch this space.