The Star: September 28, 2017

22 Thursday September 28 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
The Star
Our People
Making guests feel welcome for 37 years
•From page 21
He used to eat at something
like 4am and didn’t eat again until
night time. We’ve recently had
the crew from NASA’s SOFIA
plane who stayed for about six
weeks. We got to know them and
they were very interesting. They
gave us a big photo of the plane
and signed it.
Do you hold the record for
longest-serving staff member?
There was another woman
Nelly Fisher who was here nudging
40 years; she’s retired now.
We’ve have quite a few very longserving
staff members.
For you, what were some
of the more notable events or
groups you’ve hosted?
We’ve had the Lions tours over
the years. We had the Young
Farmers about eight years ago
and they took up the whole hotel,
all 190 rooms, that was pretty
huge.
What are some of the more
memorable moments?
Just the team work really, we
have a really good team and
we’ve had quite a few couples
working here, or who met here,
who have gone on to marry.
Any favourite groups to host?
I think probably the Lions tour
fans because they’re just here for
a good time really. They have
their first beer at 11 in the morning,
then they take their little
trips. We had a few this year for
the tour, even though we just had
a Canterbury game here. There
was a bit of friendly rivalry. The
cricket teams were good. My
colleague Donna remembers
once when the team bus was
waiting to leave, there was one
player, we can’t remember who it
was – he was part-Maori and was
bleaching his hair blonde. The
bus was being held up and he ran
out with bleach blonde hair, it
was funny. We also used to have
Air New Zealand staff stay. I was
working the day the Erebus crash
happened. The girls were down
having their breakfast when the
news came. It wasn’t very pleasant
because they knew a lot of
the people on board.
It’s a bit of a Christchurch
institution. Why do you think
that is?
I think a lot is because the
grounds are really nice, and people
don’t know about the garden
until they arrive because it’s
hidden from the road. The food
is really good. They know all of
us and they like to see familiar
faces. Peter Beaven, the architect
EXCITING: The Chateau on
the Park has hosted a number
of famous people over the
years, including the Dalai
Lama (left).
who designed the chateau, came
in after the earthquakes and said
it was one of his favourite buildings.
I said it stood up well to the
earthquakes, and he said it was
because there was far too much
timber and far too many bolts.
What do you like to do in
your spare time?
I love sewing but I only get two
days off and I get pretty tired. I’m
up at 5am and we walk between
10,000 to 15,000 steps a day.
I’ve just turned 63 and will take
a four to six-week break soon
because I need to get a new hip.
It’s probably worn out from all
the walking.
And your kids are grown up
now?
Yes, they are – my oldest
grandson is 21. I have four grandchildren.
My second husband and
I have 10 children altogether.
Has there been any naughty
behaviour from guests over the
years?
Not really. I know one guy got
boozed one night and fell down
the stairs. In saying that I’m not
sure what happens in the bar in
the early hours of the morning.
Was there much damage in
the earthquakes?
The pipes burst and our huge
big fridges that take two men to
move toppled and everything
fell out – it was just a mess. Liquefaction
came up through the
garden, but once the buildings
were checked, we all came back
to work to clean up. We were
back up and running in about
10 days and we had to open for
the emergency workers who were
over from Queensland. They
turned into long-term guests and
we got to know them well.
FILL UP FOR LESS
THIS SEPTEMBER WITH
YOUR SUPERGOLD CARD.
Save
per
12litre*
*Terms and Conditions apply.
To find your local partcipating
Challenge station, visit us online
at www.challenge.net.nz