Iconic businesses for sale

Two local businesses apparently up for sale this month each have different conditions that may determine their futures.

Tenders closed last week for an “Iconic Development Site with Holding Income” at Sunshine Bay – in other words the service station.

But there’s no need for alarm, maintains Gordon Husmann, who holds the lease on the service station - part of the Challenge network, until 25 March 2025. “We’ll see how it goes.”

The building for sale has a boundary that ends at the front door step but the pumps and tanks are on Hutt City Council road reserve, from where fuel has been dispensed for the last 80 years.

When his landlord told him the building was for sale, Gordon was a bit shocked. But he says after battling to keep the pumps open 20 years ago, when Sunshine Service Station took Caltex to the High Court to retain the pumps, “It would be a brave developer who’d take away the fuel from Eastbourne".

“As far as I'm concerned I would like to think nothing’s going to change.”

Agent Murray Rodgers of CBD Realty said because the tender had just closed he could not say anything at this stage.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, including the building being for sale, Days Bay’s iconic Van Helden Gallery is also for sale. The business has operated in the same premises since 1965 when Leo Van Helden, a master woodturner, bought the present building – then a grocery– with his wife Julia, a painter and potter.

They sold mainly paintings, pottery and Leo’s native wood platters and bowls. His mission was to showcase quality New Zealand art, ceramics and interesting craft together in one gallery and this is still the case today, though with a more diverse mix added in.

The beachside gallery is well known throughout New Zealand.

Claire Schmidt, whose lease runs out in August, owned the business with her late husband Hamish Morison and hopes to sell it as a going concern. She says it would suit an owner-operator with an interest in art. “The gallery has provided me with many happy years of interacting with tourists, artists and the friendly community of residents and business owners in the Bays.”

12 June 10am - 1pm, Eastbourne Scout Hall

Cash sales only, BYO bag

Donations can be dropped at Eastbourne Library foyer, or text 027 488 5602

The Point Howard Association (PHA) and the Point Howard Tennis Club (PHTC) held their AGMs on Sunday, 2 May. Thank you to all who attended. Your time and input was appreciated. Jim and Kay have decided to take a break from the committee, and we welcome Phil, Zef and Sararose to the committee for 2021/22. The PHA would like to thank Jim and Kay for their hard work over the last few years, and for being the driving force behind the long lunches

It’s also subs time again. You can renew your membership or join the residents’ association for $25 per year per residential address. The membership year runs from April to March. Thanks to all those residents who have just joined or renewed their membership. We really appreciate your support! For details on how to renew or join please contact the PHA via pthowardassn@gmail.com. Residents will also shortly receive a copy of the PHA “What We Do” flyer for 2021/22 in their letterboxes which contains further information pthowardassn@gmail.com

Thank you to the ten residents who attended the Wellington Free Heartbeat CPR Training on Thursday 6 May and also thank you for contributing to the koha. We raised $92.30 for Wellington Free Ambulance. It was, as promised, a fun and interactive session which taught us how to respond to a cardiac event in the first few crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives. The PHA will look to run another session later in the year for residents who missed out this time.