Tirade from rest home owner 'appalling'

An advocate for elderly Cantabrians is calling a retirement village owners' verbal attack on his residents "extremely concerning".

Businessman and owner of the $80 million Lady Wigram Retirement Village John Tooby repeatedly used the f-word and told the four elderly residents to "get a life" over a sign complaining about noisy trucks.

The rant was recorded by a journalist from Christchurch's The Star who was at the rest home to photograph the tenants about their ongoing issues of noisy trucks around the facility. While on site, she caught Tooby abusing the four residents for contacting the media.

"Yes, I'm not happy, I'm not putting up with that s**t", he's caught telling the pensioners in the recording.

Tooby told the group the rest home fence they put the sign on was his property and insisted it be taken down.

Age Concern Canterbury chief executive Simon Templeton called the language used in the recording "appalling".

"It's totally inappropriate to talk to anyone like that".

One of the residents caught up in Tooby's verbal crossfire had contacted Templeton's organisation about the incident. He said an offer of support would also be extended to the other pensioners involved.

Lady Wigram Retirement Village owner John Tooby allegedly repeatedly used the f-word and told four elderly residents to "get a life" over a sign complaining about noisy trucks. Photo / File

Templeton said he hoped the Retirement Villages Association would be talking to the owner about where he went wrong.

John Collyns, Retirement Villages Association executive director, said in his ten years in the job this was the first time he'd seen such an abuse of power.

"We are concerned about the fact one of our members has been so incredibly derogatory to his tenants", he said.

Collyns said he had spoken to a couple of residents from committee running Lady Wigram but hadn't yet spoken to Tooby himself.

"That conversation is next on the cards", he said.

He hadn't experienced any issues with Tooby in the past, and felt sure the tirade was out of character.

Collyns said they would be addressing the incident in the next executive committee meeting to determine the best way forward.

"We do have a disciplinary process in place for those that bring the industry to disrepute."

Lady Wigram Retirement Village has been approached for comment.