Ashburton Courier: May 14, 2020

Page 4, Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday May 14, 2020
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz
Sparrows prepsfor future
Richard Wilson and the team at
Sparrows have wisely spent part of
their time in lockdown preparing for
anew future that includes online
shopping.
Owner Richard said preparations
had included stocktaking the store’s
entire range of clothing and staff
learning computer skills to match the
new online purchase part of their
website.
They plan to hit the first day of
Alert Level 2with abig winter
clothing sale instore, and will have
their online store up as soon as their
tech wizards allow.
Richard said Sparrows’ winter
stock had arrived in the days before
lockdown and it had been frustrating
not to be able to share it with
customers in the usual way.
In level 3, he and two other staff
members have been in the store
fielding telephone calls, selling and
delivering goods.
Richard said staff had been
delivering clothes on appro, and sales
had ranged from shirts to items
intended as gifts.
The most popular item in
lockdown had been lightweight
facemasks made locally by the NZ
Sock Company. He estimates he has
sold around 200 so far.
Richard said the 130­year­old
business was keen to see customers’
faces again, though it was embracing
online sales as apermanent part of
doing business in the future.
‘‘Those four weeks in lockdown,
we spent working on our business
rather than in our business. We’ve
spent it getting ready.‘‘
He said the instore experience of
‘‘look, touch, feel and try’’ was still
important and aspecial part of
Sparrows’ service. ‘‘But things are
changing and we are going positively
into the future. We may be in for a
scary time, but we hope locals will
support locals.’’
Richard said the store was
receiving some rent relief, which had
helped finances, and he was working
with his bank to keep trading.
This week’s big sale is about
generating cashflow and Sparrows,
Richard Wilson and Sparrows staff are taking new steps in retail.
like other businesses all around the
district, is keen to see people back on
the main street.
He’s missed his customers and
having abeer with the boys on a
Friday night, but counts himself
lucky to have shared some special
family time in his bubble.
Ill health forces sale of vineyard
By Toni Williams
Charlie and Esma Hill have put
their Mid Canterbury boutique
vineyard CharRees on the
market.
It’s areluctant sale, fasttracked
due to Mr Hill’s
ongoing health issues. He has
been advised to slow down and
stop heavy lifting work.
‘‘We don’t really want to sell,
it’s just starting to reap the
rewards of our efforts, but my
health has just dropped. I’m not
100 per cent,’’ he said.
The couple, both 67, will
reopen their cellar door from
today and are hopeful people
will buy some of their awardwinning
wines over the next few
weeks.
The residential lifestyle
property spans 9.5 hectares on
Laings Road, on the outskirts
of Tinwald.
It was established in 1999
Charlie Hill and wife Esma are selling their vineyard.
with 3500 pinot noir and 4000
pinot gris vines, followed by
1800 riesling in 2008.
Mr Hill said the vineyard was
initially put on the market 10
days before Covid­19 lockdown
but subsequently put on hold
over the lockdown period.
It comes with two houses; a
four­bedroom family home and
asecond three or fourbedroom
dwelling/function
area, as well as service
buildings, three and four bay
pole sheds and asix loose box
stable/storage shed.
Realtor Paul Cunneen, of
Property Brokers, said the
Hills’ passion for the property
was evident, as well as their
reluctance to sell.
But there was further
economic potential in the site
for new owners with aconsent
for functions and events, and
another four hectares of land
available to upscale production
or for development.
Both parties were hopeful
for plenty of interest and a
chance to open abottle or two
in celebration of acompleted
deal.
The property is for sale by
tender which closes on May 29.
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Advisory group kicks off
No timeisbeingwasted by
Ashburton’s newly­established
Covid­19 Economic Recovery
Advisory Group,with its first
meeting held yesterday.
Thegroup has 12 members, plus
Ashburton mayor NeilBrownwho
will be chairman.
Its aim is to help and support
Mid Canterbury’s key business
sectors and agencies recoverfrom
the pandemic and transition back
to full employment.
Group members named so far
include JamesUrquhart(NZ Ski),
Greg Donaldson (contracting),
Roger Sutton (EA Networks),
AaronChudleigh (manufacturing),
Bob McDonald (retail), Simon
Wareing (transport), AndreaLee
(construction),Nicky Milmine
(hospitality), David Clark
(farming),Karl Jackson (iwi
representative), and council chief
executive Hamish Riachand
economic development manager
BevanRickerby.
Arepresentativeofthe
agricultural business sector was
also expected to jointhe group.
Independentadvicewill be
provided by the Employers
Chamber of Commerce.
The group will report to council
and its purpose is to co­ordinate
and supportawider economic
recovery, and work in partnership
with council, key business sectors
and agencies.
Members are expected to share
information,communicate and
consult with one another in a
flexible and open way, maintaining
confidentiality where appropriate.
Council has also been
considering how it could or should
play arole in Mid Canterbury’s
social and wellbeing recovery. A
separate report will be discussed
this week.
Safer MidCanterbury andSafe
Communities, whichalready
receive an operational grant from
council, and its 27 membergroups
couldbecalled on to help.
Mr Riachsaid there was much
debate nationally aboutthe role of
local authoritiesinthe social
wellbeing of their communities
over the nextseveral years,
separate to theirresponsetothe
lockdownand pandemic
emergency.
Cr Stuart Wilsonsaid the State,
not ratepayers, shouldfoot the bill
for social services.
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MP’s office open
Rangitata MP Andrew
Falloon is opening his
Ashburton office under
Alert Level 2today, albeit
only for appointments.
“Between me and my
two staff in Ashburton and
Timaru, we’ve managed to
deal with several thousand
inquiries and in most cases
get apositive result. It’s
been achallengingtime for
everyone so it’s no surprise
we’ve had more than
usual. It’ll be good to get
back into the office under
level 2, and I’m sure that’ll
be the case for alot of
workplaces aroundtown.”
Screens will be in place
in the reception area, with
sanitiser available. Extra
cleaning precautions are
being taken regularly.