Ashburton Ministry of Social Development staff were quickly back on duty after a CBD police shutdown probably rekindled bad memories for many.

MSD's Canterbury regional commissioner Blair McKenzie said the Tancred Street branch reopened yesterday morning with staff “back helping clients’’.

But on Tuesday afternoon it became a no-go zone after a suspicious-looking bag was left outside the MSD office.

Police cordoned off the area and evacuated nearby businesses after receiving a report about a "suspicious item".

The Defence Force’s bomb disposal unit was notified, but by 5pm the commotion was over, with the cordons lifted. The suspicious item was a backpack and was found not to be a threat.

McKenzie confirmed the Ashburton office closed as a "precautionary measure" after they became aware of a suspicious package.

"The safety and security of our staff and clients is our top priority,’’ he said.

“MSD has health and safety procedures which are in place in all of our regions regarding the treatment of unattended or suspicious packages.

"This includes closing the site, contacting the police, and following police instructions.’’

It is 10 years since the former Ashburton office of Work and Income, which became MSD in 2001, was the scene of a horrific double murder shooting that rocked the district.

On September 1, 2014, Russell John Tully burst into the Ashburton WINZ office in Cass Street with a pump action shotgun, killing workers Peggy Noble and Sue Cleveland.

• Sharon Davis