200 ISSUES OF AVENUES

FEATURE

But really, it’s 200 issues of you, dear reader. We’re so proud to fill our pages with the people of Ōtautahi. People who love the city, who contribute and connect to the vibrancy and soul in this, our antipodean corner of the Earth.

Here’s three stories – musings on the mag, from two instrumental wāhine who have helped usher along Avenues towards this new era, and we revisit the city’s foremost publican Nick Inkster. How far he has come!

For that matter, how far we all have come.

WORDS Kim Newth

Ifirst started freelance writing for Avenues in October 2008. Yvonne Martin was still the magazine’s ‘new editor’ back then and had a lot of cool ideas for developing the content and layout. Both of us had prior experience writing for the Sunday Star-Times and respected each other’s work.

A few years into the role, I remember her and I talking about the concept of a threeway feature as a vehicle for exploring city projects, people and their lifestyles. Coupled with bold photography, this concept has worked well for the magazine over the years.

I recall one of my earlier, more memorable assignments, which involved going to Margaret Mahy’s home in Governors Bay in late 2009. I went there to interview her about her book Kaitangata Twitch which had just been turned into a TV series. In retrospect, the restless island depicted in the series, which was shot at Governors Bay, seemed loaded with portent of what was to come. (‘First the twitch, then the trouble…’).

Just before the first earthquake in September 2010, I went exploring the central city with architect Peter Beaven, who was keen for Christchurch’s Gothic Revival buildings to be recognised as being worthy of World Heritage status. I put together an article called Going Gothic for the August 2010 edition, which featured many eyecatching photos of the city’s stone heritage treasures. Not too many editions later, I was writing about ‘how will we rebuild?’ alongside a two-page spread of the ruined Canterbury Provincial Council buildings. Peter was inside when they collapsed during the February 2011 earthquake and was lucky to escape with his life.

Sadly, both Peter and Margaret have passed away since I wrote those stories. It is sobering to realise some interviews will never be repeated.

What a journey it has been, writing steadily on through the years as the city has suffered, adapted, and moved forward. Month after month, this magazine has published stories about local people and their ideas, plans, and endeavours, and the talent pool has never yet run dry.

I’ve had many adventures with Avenues, from trying out paddleboarding and Crossfit to performing at an open mic night and staying overnight at a remote musterer’s hut.

Over 145 editions, there have been so many fascinating interviews, including with author Fiona Farrell; with the Whitelock rugby boys George, Adam, Sam, and Luke; with watercolour artist Nancy Tichborne; with Christchurch dance duo Kate and Lei’ataua Limuloa; with Hugh Wilson at Hinewai Reserve. It’s a long list that continues to grow.

A magazine like this is such a team effort, and I’ve been lucky to work alongside so many talented writers, photographers, subeditors, and designers over the years.

Congratulations to Lisa, Joshua, and the team for steering Avenues to celebrate this amazing 200th edition milestone.

WORDS Yvonne Martin

For me, the title “Avenues” conjures up warm memories, like a favourite soundtrack or movie.

I had the pleasure of being the middle editor between the founding editor, the late Jon Gadsby and current editor, Joshua Brosnahan.

I was working as a Press journalist in 2008 when the opportunity to edit Avenues arose. I expected to be in the job for three years but ended up staying 10!

Editing Avenues was a rich role of finding local stories, celebrating Canterbury people and successes, working with talented creatives and helping new and deserving businesses with exposure, especially after the earthquakes.

The first Avenues after the 2010 earthquake was produced from a beach house in Taylors Mistake. The edition that followed the 2011 quake was pieced together in my lounge on Huntsbury hill. Our team became nimble at producing magazines on the fly, replacing dated material with new and keeping a grip on the changing Christchurch landscape.

Early, pre-earthquake editions of Avenues are time capsules. Thumbing through their glossy pages is like looking in the mirror at a reflection I barely recognise. They are a nostalgic reminder of the city’s past.

One of the most memorable magazines for me was my first edition as editor in July 2008, with a cover story on arts patron and environmentalist Diana, Lady Isaac. It was a privilege writing her story while working out how to fill the rest of the magazine with what content and how. Over time, our small team found its stride and a rich abundance of stories to tell.

Visiting the cloistered but joyful world of the Carmelite nuns in Halswell for a story was another highlight. I often think those industrious and creative women were pioneers of the lockdown we all came to know.

Every month as editor, opening the first box of Avenues, fresh from the printers, was a nervous thrill. Did the front cover work; was the printing crisp? Ever-present was the dread of finding a typo, thankfully rare.

Nowadays, I’ve swapped editing for running a business in Central Otago. Instead of wrangling words onto pages, my partner and I wrangle dogs at our rural dog daycare.

My gap year from journalism has turned into three. Working outdoors in a Central summer has its joys; there’s the chance to watch incredible cloudscapes and enjoy the field of sunflowers I’ve planted this year. It can be witheringly hot outside, but a leap into the Clutha River revives the soul. Winter can be bracing but frigid mornings often give way to fine, clear days. Once or twice a year, we watch dogs and our horse cavorting in the snow. Only on a handful of days do I miss working in the comfort of an office.

It’s been refreshing to start a new venture and see where it leads. In so many surprising ways, dogs have been a conduit to meeting diverse, interesting people and becoming part of their daily lives. The morning dropoffs and afternoon pickups mirror those outside New Zealand schools every weekday. Only here, the pupils being dropped off with rain jackets and marked lunchboxes are fourlegged and don’t talk back.

Congratulations, Avenues, on reaching the 200-edition milestone. Long may you continue to bloom and prosper and reflect Canterbury’s special people and places. We’ll be raising a glass from afar.

WORDS Kim Newth PHOTOS Ashleigh Robertson

Thinking big for the future, even as Omicron cases rise, is Christchurch bar owner Nick Inkster whose passion for the central city and its heritage buildings first earned him a spot on the cover of Avenues in August 2017.

By this spring, one of the city’s oldest surviving church buildings is due to be up and running as a hospitality venue, equipped with live music and bigscreen sports entertainment. The former Trinity Congregational Church, dating back to the 1870s, is next to Inkster Company’s other recent addition on Manchester Street, Paddy McNaughton’s Irish Pub in the restored Shand’s Emporium building.

I remember talking to the Trinity’s former owners not long after its stone tower had come crashing down in the February 2011 earthquake (a city waits, Avenues, Issue 82). There were so many uncertainties back then around its future. Thankfully the Christchurch Heritage Trust came to the rescue, purchasing the building in 2013 for strengthening and restoration. Eleven years later, amid a pandemic, this slice of heritage is in great shape and preparing to open once again.

Nick’s passion is to breathe new life into old stone and timber with top-notch hospitality ventures. The former Christchurch builder came home after the earthquakes, pouring money made in Australia’s oil and gas industry into the dream of a vintage-style central city bar. He set up O.G.B. in one of the few old buildings still standing. It has been an outstanding success, repeatedly selected by our readers as the city’s top bar. A glamorous cocktail bar was added in 2018 (Parlour), and O.G.B.’s Courtyard is a popular go-to for casual drinks and dining.

The growing Inkster stable, which includes the exclusive cavern-style Austin Club and Lyttelton’s Civil & Naval, has an emphasis on table service and smaller-scale venues that take less than 100 people. It is a model that has worked well through the pandemic. With the Trinity Congregational Church, he’s taking a punt that better times are coming and leapfrogging to a much bigger space that can hold 500 people inside and many more in a spacious courtyard out front.

“Our goal is to open seven days for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It looks amazing inside with its timber ceiling and stone wall heritage features. The church was designed acoustically – we’re looking forward to offering this as a beautiful live music venue for both local musicians and bigger names. We lost so much in the earthquakes. Opening something like this is not just about selling a few drinks. It’s about giving people an opportunity to come in and appreciate a stunning old building and share their memories as well.”

Before he passed away, Nick’s late father advised him never to give up on his hospitality ambitions, and Nick has stayed the course through eight challenging years since then. With positive encouragement from his now business partners, Andrew and Richard Norton, he is well-placed to meet future growth goals. He has a single-minded determination to keep going – and growing.

“I’m still really excited for Christchurch. The cathedral is being rebuilt in the heart of the city. Apartments are going up on Manchester Street, and we’ve already got people coming into Paddy McNaughton’s saying it’s their closest local pub. The central city is the best ‘suburb’ of all because it has the best amenities.”

Commenting on Avenues’ 200th edition, Nick says it’s an amazing achievement. “I’ve always appreciated what Avenues has done for this city.”

Claire Evans, Rebecca Scott, and Paula Nicolaou

IN DETAIL

Lane Neave is one of Aotearoa’s leading law firms, and culture has been the cornerstone of the firm’s success since the 1860s. The firm is tackling 2022 head-on with an eclectic, diverse and most importantly, strong partnership at the helm – 40 per cent of these being women. Meet three: Claire Evans, Paula Nicolaou, and Rebecca Scott.

“Law has always been a profession with plenty of women – it’s just that the leaders have traditionally been men,” according to Rebecca.

“Receptionists, PAs, and legal assistants have generally always been women. It’s really encouraging to see women bringing a different perspective to leadership, and this diversity represents the makeup of our firm.”

Lane Neave is a major national firm – one of the ten largest in the country. With offices here on Cambridge Terrace and throughout the country, the firm has won awards and recognition for Corporate and Commercial, Banking and Finance, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Insurance and Employment Law, as well as Employer of Choice and Law Firm of the Year. This is thanks to the inclusive environment fostered.

Claire mentions that when she was a junior lawyer, she was “the only female in the meeting”.

“These days, not only will there be a couple more women at the table, your client will most probably be female. I’ve been a lawyer for 20 years, and in that relatively short period of time, there’s been a huge surge in women moving into leadership positions.”

Claire was promoted to a partner while raising two children.

“I like to think I can show the generation coming through that you can be at the top of your game, with happy children and a family life. Lane Neave allowed me to do both, so I am very thankful from that perspective.”

Paula has been a lawyer for 25 years, and has a similar story.

“Working in building and construction, it was hard starting out. It was a room full of men, all of the time. It’s still mostly men, but now they’re perfectly accepting of women in this area. Being a woman in law is no longer a barrier with clients. I have a great team of both men and women, and they are all respected by our clients.

“We’re at the point now where we can do away with discussions about ‘women in law’. It no longer needs to be a point to raise. It’s just women doing a great job, and Lane Neave reflects that.”

Claire acknowledges the need for the partners and firm to “keep on changing”.

“We’re certainly not saying we’re there yet – we want to keep on changing and bringing in all sorts of diversity every year, as society changes as well.”

According to Paula, she’s not part of a ‘stuffy law firm’. “We are a pragmatic, eclectic partnership. At partnership level, our personalities are so incredibly different, and this is the strength Lane Neave has. It’s not just a bunch of old men in the same suits. We’re there to serve. We’re there to help people at some of the biggest, most stressful times, or the biggest financial deal, of their lives. We’re passionate about making that process as easy as possible, and we have the diversity to help with that.”

Rebecca highlights that they are all “proud of our people at Lane Neave”.

“Essentially, the only difference law firms have is their people. We all have the same computers and the same resources. We practice the same law. There’s 150 years of history with our staff, and an equal amount of history with our clients. That’s what makes us. That’s what feeds into our future.”

laneneave.co.nz