This week began with a council meeting to see if we could start on the steps to save the pub. Many of you will know that my favourite pub in the world is facing demolition. In the middle of the week it was the beginning of Lent, which in some ways I was looking forward to as after a fantastic weekend in Amsterdam, I really needed a detox. The week then ended on a strange note with me not going out and staying at home baking.
The council meeting went very well, they were not impressed with the design that the developers had put forward, and were interested in a sign that sits on the top of the pub. We were happy with the outcome of the meeting and headed back to the pub for dinner and a chat. I love this place and I love the people who run it. The thought of it being demolished breaks my heart. The amount of work that has gone into making it the successful place that it is, the jobs that it provides and fun that it brings, it makes me sad when I think of all of that being destroyed.
On Tuesday night I made a couple of batches of pancakes and had some good friends around for a catch up. I was trying to stay up so that I could call my Mum who works in a school, and have the two minutes silence to remember Christchurch with her. I love pancakes and I love wine, so it was a great night. But there was always the two minutes of silence at the back of my mind. I watched some of the coverage on the NZ Herald website and was quite choked up when it finally happened. I could not help but remember a year ago. I thought about Cate and how she and I got through this with lots of hugs, tears and wine. I am not sure that either of us are really over it.
On Wednesday Lent began. I began my rather intense detox. It was not a great day at work. I was quite tired and had a thumping detox headache by the time that I got home. I had missed out on tickets to the film that had been made about that day a year ago. So I had decided to get last minute tickets to The Wombats. I love The Wombats and definitely needed a bit of craziness to get over this day, after an hour long nana nap of course. Cate called to see how I was doing and asked if I wanted to meet after the movie, she didn’t want me to be sad on my own. But she also had some bad news. She can tell you better than I can, it’s her story after all.
Dear Friends,
It is with the utmost sadness and regret that I have to inform you of the impending closure of The Castle.
After a meeting with the developers, Languard Investments, they have decided to terminate our tenancy agreement. This is in direct response to our involvement in, and the current succesfulness, of the Save The Castle campaign. We have to have vacated the premises no later than MAY 22nd
We were offered a reprieve, so long as we cut all ties to the Save The Castle campaign and retracted our objections, but both Aaron and I are unwilling to do that as we DO want to save the Castle, not for us, but for all of you.
I feel incredibly guilty that the closure of such an amazing and long standing establishment has come during my tenancy, and sincerely hope that you can forgive me for this.
Please come by and help us celebrate the last few months of this awesome pub, and if you haven't already, please can you put your objections into the council, so that planning can be refused and we can have The Castle back
WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING!
Aroha nui
Cate
It is with the utmost sadness and regret that I have to inform you of the impending closure of The Castle.
After a meeting with the developers, Languard Investments, they have decided to terminate our tenancy agreement. This is in direct response to our involvement in, and the current succesfulness, of the Save The Castle campaign. We have to have vacated the premises no later than MAY 22nd
We were offered a reprieve, so long as we cut all ties to the Save The Castle campaign and retracted our objections, but both Aaron and I are unwilling to do that as we DO want to save the Castle, not for us, but for all of you.
I feel incredibly guilty that the closure of such an amazing and long standing establishment has come during my tenancy, and sincerely hope that you can forgive me for this.
Please come by and help us celebrate the last few months of this awesome pub, and if you haven't already, please can you put your objections into the council, so that planning can be refused and we can have The Castle back
WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING!
Aroha nui
Cate
Upon hearing this news, I was gutted. There is nothing that I dislike more than when big corporations or landlords walk all over the underdogs. I dislike it even more when it’s my friends that they are pushing around. I was outraged. My Mum’s suggestion of getting Sons of Anarchy to sort out the developers was loved by all.
So I went and danced my butt off at that concert. It was awesome, we boogied through the whole thing and had a laugh whilst doing it. I love The Wombats even more.
Thursday passed in an upset blur – I had lost one of my earrings that my parents had given me for my 21st. I have worn these gold hoops every day for ten and a half years. Even the sunshine and the walk around the bridges at lunchtime was not really cheering me up. Gym and a healthy dinner and it was off to bed for me, but not before my flatmate found my earring. See how my week has been up and down.
Friday, I got tickets to Florence and the Machine, who are on my bucket list for this year. Exciting! Then work, off to the gym and then home to bake it out. You see today, Saturday, is the fundraiser for Christchurch, there will be a pig on a spit and raffles and a bucket that I intend to rattle at lot. Re-enacting my shaking it for Christchurch, which proved so successful last year will be a good thing.
So that was my very up and down week. Today the sun is shining and it all seems a bit of a mess. But I have to believe that it will get better, I just have too. And if it doesn’t, you all will be getting fat on me, baking it out.
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