Small town, big future

A changing of the old guard has given Patea a life-saving breath of fresh air.
Young business people, investors and the retired all have different reasons for moving to Patea, but the common ground is, they believe the town has a future.
Within the last year, two of Patea's hotels have been sold, the garage and two dairies are under new ownership and the main street is starting to look like a royal visit is on the cards.
The most obvious sign that something is afoot is with the 103-year-old Albion Hotel. It has been fully enveloped in scaffolding for the last month and is set for a $60,000 spruce-up.
The West End Dairy is now theHwy 3 Food Bar and the Empire Store is set to undergo changes not seen for 30 years.
The century-old Majestic Hotel, (the bottom pub) has been bought by a former freezing worker, who decided buying a pub was better than buying a lolly shop.
And the garage, which is now in the hands of a young couple, has been renovated and rebranded BP To Go.
So what has drawn these collective movers and shakers to a town, which is mostly perceived as going nowhere fast?
A Wanganui company, Bilderbeck Enterprises, is the most recent to buy, with its purchase of the Empire Store.
After 30 years in the same hands, the store is about to get a new life and be renamed the Patea Four Square.
Bilderbeck Enterprises partner Carol Bilderbeck said the opportunity to keep a hand in convenience store retail was too good to refuse when the chance came up.
"We've operated a Four Square in Wanganui for 14 years, but we felt Patea had moved on from the past and we wanted an opportunity to try new things," she said.
Among the Bilderbecks' plans, is a liquor licence and new bakery at the rear of the premises.
An Auckland investor with a penchant for old buildings is the mover behind the Albion Hotel's facelift.
Randolph Baxter says he bought the Albion in February last year because he likes old buildings and thought it would look good painted up and with a new roof.
Mr Baxter says he also thought others may follow suit and change the look of Patea's CBD.
Leaseholders Anita Sturmey and Brendan Luke plan to celebrate once the hotel has its new clothes.
"There was no marking of the Albion's centenary in 2003, but with its resurrection we thought we would have a belated celebration," Miss Sturmey said.
The Albion was originally built in 1870 but burnt down and rebuilt in 1903.
Across the road, the 87-year-old C. F. Pulley building has been bought by former Aucklander Jim Baird; he intends turning it into a car museum.
Mr Baird has painted the building's facade and redecorated two shops, which are available for lease.
"When I saw this building, I fell in love with it, so I bought it and moved here," he says.
Young people wanting to be their own boss also feel Patea may have turned the corner.
Jay Knight and his fiancee, Michelle Bishop, have a 10-year lease on the only garage in town.
Jay says it is the perfect opportunity for him as he has worked for other people in petrol retailing in Taranaki for four years.
"I wanted to be my own boss. We've rebranded the service station as BP to Go and renovated the interior," says Jay.
The West End Dairy is another business taken over by the younger generation.
Former farmer Craig Brunton and partner Sherree Stanaway have renamed the dairy as the Hwy 3 Food Bar.
"There's a huge amount of passing traffic and it's really good meeting new people all the time," Craig says.
"We're used to long hours on the farm, so 5.30am starts and 9pm finishes aren't a worry."
Patea's other hotel, the Masonic, (the bottom pub to locals) has also undergone change.
After 20 years as a meat worker, Waitotara's Peter Read was not ready for retirement. "I could have bought a lolly shop but I decided to be a publican," he says with a laugh.
"I bought the Masonic after looking at about eight different pubs.
"It's 100 years old and solid. All it needs is a few rotten boards replaced and some new spouting."
Other changes to the hotel include the opening of a TAB, a new lounge bar and the introduction of Asian food to the menu.
More people appear to be stopping in the town as well.
The South Taranaki District Museum's visitor figures have increased 41 per cent in the last year.
Out-of-towners have also been snapping up residential properties.
Anne Robertson, of Hawera's PGG Wrightson, says property sales have been phenomenal since January.
"We are now struggling to get listings, as most of the houses we had on our books have been sold," she said.

CRAIG JEFFREYcraig.jeffrey@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Monday, 9 April 2007