Waiau pub ‘not worth fixing’
‘‘I think we all need a drink,’’ Waiau pub owner Michelle Beri said, beer in hand, behind the ruins of her bar.
Beri and her friend of more than 30 years Lindsay Collins bought the pub 20 months ago and are now facing the fact that it will never be the same again.
Both owners lived in the pub, which also has eight guest rooms.
Collins was inside the pub playing video games as the quake hit and his computer fell on his head as he fled, leaving him with a small cut, dust-grey hair and blood all over his shirt.
‘‘I didn’t have time to think, I just wanted to get Scott [his son] and get out. ‘‘It was very noisy. ‘‘The whole building was shaking. It wasn’t terrifying, just annoying because we’ve been through a Christchurch one so we knew what to expect.’’
Beri had been in Christchurch overnight spending time with her son and could not get back to Waiau until midday.
She had to walk into town carrying supplies for the pub as the Waiau Bridge was closed to vehicles.
‘‘I couldn’t get through to Lindsay, I heard about it on GeoNet. I was going to come through no matter what,’’ she said.
All three of the pub’s chimneys had fallen through the roof, doing massive damage to the rooms connected, while stock from the bar and bricks were strewn across the ground.
‘‘It’s not worth fixing, it’ll cost more to repair than it’s worth.
‘‘It’s insured, but no insurance will bring back it’s character,’’ Collins said.
Collins along with friends Shane Turner and Maureen Kotua were shifting as much as they could save into their shed at the back of the property.
Turner said the pub had plenty of ‘‘beautiful old art’’ on its walls which they had saved first.
The trio had decided to donate as much food as could be saved to the community.
Nobody so far had been hurt in Waiau, which was the main thing, Beri said.
‘‘I don’t know what this town is going to do without its local pub, the locals have been so supportive,’’ Collins said.
He said he still planned to host the well known ‘Wonder Rally’ motorcycle gathering next January, but would have to "BBQ it".