Ashburton Guardian, Thursday, June 4, 2020

Page 1

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Since Sept 27, 1879

Retail $2.20 Home delivered from $1.40

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY

Mid Canterbury is open for business!

MidCanOpenforBiz.nz

BACK IN ACTION

FULL STORY

Court news P4

Another i-SITE out of business By Sue Newman

Urquhart and his team were told the Ashburton District Council would be cutting the organisation’s budget from $381,000 a year to $195,000 and that they would have to find ways to work with a slimmer operational model from July 1. And that put the Methven i-SITE’s two full timers and five part-timers’ jobs on the line. Deciding to close the centre was a very difficult decision, Uquhart said, but visitor numbers had been declining in the months prior to Covid-19 and closing New Zealand’s borders was the final blow that added to the need for change. “These are extraordinary and unprecedented times, and we need to play our part in future-proofing our local industry,” he said.

sue.n@theguardian.co.nz

Back on the greens P16

P2

Methven’s i-SITE has become the latest victim of a crashed tourism market, with the centre closing and seven people out of jobs. Those employees, however, are under a media ban, with official comment allowed only from the Ashburton District Council or Experience Mid Canterbury (EMC). The Methven i-SITE’s closure follows the demise of the Ashburton centre two years ago and the district’s tourism promotion will now be delivered through a pared back model as Experience Mid Canterbury responds to the impact of Covid-19. Earlier this year EMC chairman James

There was still a need for an information service in Methven for both visitors and residents alike. And ways to find a solution to that need were under consideration, Uquhart said. “Our staff have been the backbone of tourism in our region. They all possess amazing local knowledge and information and as a board we’ll be very sad to see our team leave. Our priority right now is to support our staff during this difficult time but we’ll be working with the council to see what other opportunities there may be in the future.”

CONTINUED

P2

Local news for local people Mid Canterbury’s only locally-owned daily newspaper

GET BACK ON THE ROAD

Gluyas Nissan

9%FINANCE APR* + DEFERRED .FIXED 3 MONTHS PAYMENTS

79 Kermode Street | (03) 307 5800

WITH ZERO DEPOSIT ACROSS THE NAVARA & SUV RANGE

Kendall Sandrey Sales Consultant Mob 027 486 0016

QASHQAI

QASHQAI

NISSAN 150,000 KM’S FACTORY

5YR WARRANTY

X-TRAIL INTELLIGENT EMERGENCY BRAKING

NAVARA

Scott Donaldson Sales Manager Mob 027 225 5530

BLIND SPOT WARNING

INTELLIGENT AROUND VIEW MONITOR

*Finance ooer available to approved applicants of Nissan Financial Services only and excludes all lease and some eet purchasers. Available on new Nissan SUV & Navara vehicles only. 1.9% P.A Fixed Interest. Interest is charged from the commencement of the loan. Maximum term 36 months. No deposit required. $375 establishment fee, $8.05 PPSR fee, and $10 monthly account keeping fee apply. Terms and conditions apply. Ooer valid from 1 May 2020 to 30 June 2020. Units must be registered by 30 June 2020. Ooer cannot be used in conjunction with any other ooer. Nissan New Zealand reserves the right to vary, withdraw or extend this ooer.

nissan.co.nz

www.gluyasnissan.nz

Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.