'Absolutely ugly' fences go up - and down

Fences installed around BBQ areas on Napier's Marine Parade were removed days later.

"Ugly" fences installed by Napier City Council around BBQ areas on Marine Parade lasted a matter of days before being removed.

Blue Water Lodge owner Thomas Whitehead said he was surprised when the fences sprang up last week.

"They were absolutely ugly - they lasted about two days. Then on Sunday at 6.30 at night a big team of them pulled everything out."

Mr Whitehead wanted to know the cost to ratepayers of installing and removing the fences.

"This would have cost thousands. They're just playing with our money."

He said when he spoke to the staff removing the fences, he was told an architect had "made a mistake".

"[The BBQ areas] are a good idea, sometimes my backpackers use them. But this was just ugly."

In response to Mr Whitehead's comments, a Napier City Council spokeswoman confirmed: "Yes, we did put in a small amount of fencing around the BBQ areas on Marine Parade. The idea was to protect the surrounding plants which had been damaged.

"However, when the fence went up, it was deemed not to be suitable - more from an aesthetic reason than anything else, and so we've removed them and are looking at other options."

She said the fencing would be used elsewhere in the city and the cost of the operation had been "minimal staff time", but was unable to give a figure.