Pair determined for quake-hit hotel to thrive

Michelle Beri is banking on a weekend of fun and festivities to provide the foundation for the restoration of the Waiau Hotel.

The Waiau Lodge Hotel Restore Rally 2019, on October 18 and 19, is designed to help progress work to get the accommodation side of the business running.

It will be three years in November since the town was rocked by the 7.8-magnitude quake. It forced the closure of the hotel, which was built in 1910.

Michelle says it is now time to step up efforts to get the pub open and hopes the weekend of fun, music, food, and entertainment will be well supported and help boost the restoration coffers.

''There have been a number of fundraising events in Waiau since the earthquake, and it has been extremely hard to put forward our situation.

''But the time has come for the central hub of Waiau, the Waiau Lodge Hotel, to be bought back to her former glory with a preliminary focus on getting accommodation for those needing it when visiting Waiau.''

She also wants to see the fences that have cordoned off the hotel for about 2½years come down.

''We have been trying to get it open for accommodation and to move back in,'' Michelle says.

''We are committed to Waiau. You've got to see things through.''

Michelle and business partner Lindsay Collins moved to Waiau in 2015, after ''a rollercoaster'' four years in Christchurch after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.

''We are determined not to give up,'' says Michelle, who has had a tough winter with fewer people about and bills to pay, including $30,000 for the engineer's and architect's report, at which she is chipping away.

But the good news is that the report found the old pub's foundations to be sound and that she can be repaired.

Michelle is now keen to get the report to hand so tenders can be called for prices from tradesmen for rods and ties to strengthen the building, so those attending the rally have some idea of what lies ahead in the way of costs in getting the work done.

She is heartened by the local support, and to A.J. Scott for its offer of a free tradie day when the time comes to start to spruce up the hotel.

Meanwhile, she and Lindsay continue to operate out of a small, temporary tavern.

Michelle was sleeping in her van in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, until a local business offered her the use of a portable building at no cost.

Lindsay sleeps in the shed.

While the portable building will be leaving the site in October, Michelle has access to a family caravan.