Trade lost due to power outage

A scheduled power outage around the Otumoetai Rd area yesterday forced at least two Cherrywood businesses to close and a video store to fork out about $200 in order to keep the doors open on one of its busiest days of the week.

Cherrywood United Video owner Carey Gordon hired a generator so he could keep the using the computer hiring system, phone and eftpos, and stop the icecreams from melting in the fridge.

He also hired some large lights to brighten the darkest areas of the store, while the power was cut from 8.30am until 4pm.

"I had to do something. It's probably cost me a couple of hundred all up but it's better that than close. A good Sunday, we'll do a couple of thousand," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Gordon said Cherrywood Cafe had shut its doors for the day, and Cherrywood Sunshine Fast Food cooked fish and chips and Chinese smorgasbord using gas, without lights or a till until the power came back on.

Having fought a losing battle to have Powerco supply them with a generator for the day, Suzanne Edmonds shut the doors of her restaurant RSVP of Cherrywood until dinner time. Mrs Edmonds asked for the support of Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby and MP Simon Bridges to see Powerco provide a generator or do the work at night after the restaurant lost a 50-person lunch booking.

Powerco maintained its stance, saying it provided generators for vital services only and could not complete the work at night due to health and safety issues.

Across the road, businesses escaped with two power outages adding up to just one hour, the first from 8.30am-9am and the second from 3.30am-4pm. Cherrywood 4 Square got by with a hired generator during the cuts, while Cherrywood Arms and Cherrywood Fish Supply and Takeaway were unaffected yesterday morning and got through the half hour in the afternoon.

Powerco spokesman Neil Holdom said it was always the case that some of the 280 customers affected would be without power for just one hour while others would be affected for the whole day.