Why I built it
Walking around town one lunchtime, I got thinking about how far Christchurch has come. I've lived here all my life, and watching the city rebuild after the earthquakes has been a real journey. It reminded me of the nineties: the gig guides you picked up every week, and a mate telling you which bar to try or which fish and chip shop was worth the drive.
I went looking for the modern version and couldn't find one. The choices were a review site nobody had maintained in a decade, or a search page ranked by whoever was paying. So I built the one I wanted: a map, everything on it, and an open-now status you can trust.
The map took a weekend. Keeping 360-odd venues accurate without a team is where the work went, and it hasn't stopped. Places close quietly and hours change without anyone saying so. Most of what's under the hood is there to notice.
What makes it different
- It stays current. Every venue is checked weekly against live data, and a person confirms each closure before anything disappears.
- Nobody pays. No venue pays to be listed or to rank. A “Locals' pick” badge only means the site rates the place.
- Its own writing. Every description is written fresh, in the voice of a local mate, not reprinted marketing.
- Shortlists, not lists. Hand-written guides to late-night eats, dog-friendly spots, fish and chips and brunch.
How it's built
Found ChCh runs on Next.js, Supabase and MapLibre. The interesting engineering isn't the map, it's what feeds it. Open-now status is worked out on the fly, so daylight saving, public holidays and “the kitchen closes an hour before the bar” all come out right. A weekly job compares every venue against live sources and flags changes for a person to confirm.
AI does the volume work, like reconciling data, drafting and pipeline glue. The judgement calls and the writing stay human.
- Front end
- Next.js
- Backend
- Supabase
- Maps
- MapLibre
- Reviews
- Its own, from locals
- Model
- Independent, self-funded