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The Sun
Friday January 30, 2015
Business Business inbrief
Bookworld sale Bookworld Blenheim is continuing to liquidate stock following management’s decision to sell. Interest has also been registered in some of the store’s furniture. The deadline for the store’s closure is February 28.
Get-together The Marlborough Chamber of Commerce is holding a get-together for local businesspeople next month. The event is being held at the Blenheim Club on February 12, starting at 5:30pm. Chris Bowhill from B&S Foods is the guest speaker. For more information, contact the Chamber.
Motel recognised Hillsfield House in Renwick has been named one of the top 25 Bed and Breakfasts/Inns in the world by travel review website TripAdvisor. The B&B ranked 23rd on the list, one of two from New Zealand to make the cut.
Z Energy investing in making service station safer The latest equipment in Z’s crimefighting arsenal was installed last week at Z Grove Road in Blenheim. Z has installed high-definition CCTV equipment to deter would-be robbers as part of an $8 million nationwide programme. Z’s retail general manager Mark Forsyth says the rollout is a major line in its defence against robberies, and is one of the biggest investments Z will make on its existing sites during the next couple of years. “Robberies don’t cost us a lot from a pure financial perspective because we keep virtually no cash on site, but every robbery is one too many when we consider the stress and potential physical or psychological harm to staff and customers.”
New driving force for bus company By Adam Poulopoulos Parky’s Charters is set to take on a new name after the business was sold earlier this year. Graeme Parker has handed over the business to Gary Wright, who is renaming it Roadtrips Marlborough. The business will continue to take charter groups. Originally from Invercargill, Gary has driven on-and-off for Graeme for the past 18 months, and has just bought a block of land in Grovetown and turned it into a vineyard. Before moving to Marlborough he also worked for Kiwi Experience for five years, driving mostly month-long nationwide charters. He says he is looking forward to living a less transient lifestyle. “For me, driving tour buses has an expiration date. “I like the social side of it, but instead of living out of a suitcase I wanted to have something more permanent.” He has just bought a new bus from Christchurch to add to the fleet. Graeme will continue to drive buses but says he is happy to have stepped away from the administrative side of things after four years owning the business.
Graeme Parker, left, has sold his business to Gary Wright.
“I wanted to cut out the organising more than the driving. My partner Christine did most of the work behind the scenes. “About 70 percent of the business is administration, and the 30 percent I really like is driving, which is the part I really enjoy.
House of Hearing opens By Adam Poulopoulos The owner of a South Island hearing healthcare company’s local practice says the business saw a gap in the Marlborough market before expanding here. House of Hearing opened its Henry Street premises on December 1. Charge audiologist and coowner Claire Dwyer says hearing healthcare in Marlborough needed something different. “We felt there was a real need in the Marlborough area – there had been only been one permanent hearing health clinic for a long time.”
House of Hearing offers wax removal and hearing aid services, and Claire says having both under the same roof was uncommon. Claire moved from Christchurch to take the position, and says name recognition has helped get the business going locally. “We’ve already had a few people say they knew us from Christchurch and see we’ve moved to Blenheim.” House of Hearing offer various deals, and hearing monitoring for companies. Claire says they are also interested in sponsorship opportunities around the region.
House of Hearing nurse Cole Stacey and co-owner Claire Dwyer.
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“I’m still doing that as long as he keeps me on!” He says he is thankful for the support he had received. “The customers have been loyal to me, and they’ll continue to be loyal to Gary.”
The honey Company’s Tiffany Rusbatch inside the new shop.
By Jacob Page The Honey Company is set to use the opening of its new store to benefit Relay for Life next month. The store, which offers Marlburians the chance to purchase locally-produced honey made on-site will hold a familyoriented opening on February 28 with the all the proceeds, above cost, going to the Relay for Life cause. The shop, on Taylor Pass Road, is open to the public from Monday to Friday but the day will be a test of the desire
for weekend trading hours. Natasha Kimura, who works on-site, says she wanted to get behind the cause after having known a lot of people affected with cancer. The store also has an area where bees produce honey and people can watch the action as well as tasting pots of nine different types of honey. Natasha says they try to educate people about bees as well as offer them a chance to try the honey. Most of The Honey Company’s products go overseas.