Hats on for the fair

Woodville business owners are preparing to return down the rabbit hole, but enthusiasm has replaced the desperation of 12 months ago. The inaugural Mad Hatter’s Fair drew people back to the town after business suffered following the Manawatu¯ Gorge closure. Business owners credit the first fair with helping to get the town back on its feet, and are looking forward to another serving of supportive shoppers on November 18. Viking’s Haul secondhand store owner Evan Nattrass said times were rough after the gorge closed, but business had improved greatly since last year’s fair. He said having the new annual event on the calender put Woodville back on the map for people across the region. ‘‘It’s still hasn’t got back to pre-closure levels, but it has come up quite a lot.’’ To improve his store’s reach, Nattrass has been much more active promoting its Facebook page, and selling goods online. ‘‘We’re all looking forward to the new road we’ve been promised, but that will take years . . . [so] if people can’t get to you, you’ve got to go to them.’’ A replacement highway, that will link up at Woodville, is at least six years away, with work expected to start in 2020. For now, the Saddle Rd detour allows traffic to easily bypass the town. The economic effect has caused several shops to close, including Oosh La La and Frocks for Sale. Yummy Mummy’s Cheesecakes manager Sera Williams said that for a while last year it looked like the cheesecake store would have to leave town to survive – but it had managed to hang on. ‘‘Things have evened out again. We’re still down sales-wise, but it’s at a sustainable level now.’’ Williams said the fair was a big boost towards that. ‘‘It was definitely a lot busier for us during the fair . . . ‘‘It was great to see so many people back in Woodville.’’ Fair organising group member Sandra Riley said next month’s fair would be bigger and better, with more performers. Visitors will again be welcomed to town by a kapa haka group, and given a map marking its shops and events, and there will be stalls, games, and competitions for the best costume and Mad Hatter’s hat. Feilding and District Steam Rail Society is offering a scenic train ride through the gorge, to and from the fair.