A Christchurch property developer says he won't stop blasting music outside his business in an attempt to deter rough sleepers - despite admitting it might not be working.
Peebles Group CEO Richard Peebels has seen a rise in homeless people sleeping at his front door with his staff facing abuse when entering his building.
"There has been some drug dealing, some assaults, intimidation of the customers and staff, some of the young staff have been subjected to sexual abuse."
But Peebles admits the repetitive music did add fuel to the fire at the beginning.
"They've come into the building, come up flights of stairs and confronted the receptionist about the music."
Pebbles told Newshub he tried to get help from the Christchurch City Mission, the police and the Christchurch City Council.
Following help from authorities failing, he was forced to get creative.
"We tried Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up on loop, to see if that would work, and it has had some success."
Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up has been blasting on repeat outside the Peebles Group building for three months now.
Peebles' first choice wasn't Rick Astley though, playing Concert FM to begin with Peebles soon found people were rather enjoying it.
It was when Peeble's had an epiphany watching Graham Norton and discovered Rick-Rolling.
"There was a thing about being rick rolled, some sort of virus you send out by email and when you open it plays Rick Astley until you turn your computer off."
Rickrolling is more accurately described as a bait and switch technique, where the URL for Astley's music video is disguised as another link.
The joke is internet users are tricked into clicking the link, expecting something else and getting rickrolled instead.
It was first used in 2007 and has been a meme ever since.
Pebbles says he hopes the power of music will get rid of the rough sleepers.
"It can calm, it can rage and hopefully drive people away when they hear Rick Astley over 100 times"
Pebbles does recognise his tactic won't solve the issue and would likely move it elsewhere.
"I'm just trying to look after our customers and our tenants in our building."
Canterbury Metro Area Commander Superintendent Lane Todd says Homelessness is an Issue for Christchurch but no more for the rest of New Zealand.
"Police are working with the Inner City Business Association and the Christchurch City council on a long term plan."
Todd says all options will be exhausted before enforcement action is taken.
Christchurch City Mission and Auckland Action Against Poverty have been approached for a comment.
