Woodville's Viking battles to stay afloat after gorge closure

Battling: Evan Nattrass, owner of Woodville's Viking's Haul emporium is concerned as to what the future holds for his business. Reporter: Christine McKay Photographer: Supplied &

Woodville's Evan Nattrass is one Viking who keeps battling on, despite his business taking a huge hit since the Manawatu Gorge closed.

"Business has dropped quite significantly, especially in the weekends," Mr Nattrass, the owner of The Viking's Haul, told the Dannevirke News.

"The weekends used to be my busiest time, but now I do more business during the working week. It seems 80,000 people on the other side of the hill think it's too much to travel over at the weekend to go fossicking in our second-hand shops and visit our cafes.

"We still get the traffic from Wellington and Hawke's Bay, but nothing like before the gorge closed."

Mr Nattrass said while he's seen a 40 per cent drop in sales at his antiques and collectibles store, rising costs such as rates, phone and electricity are also making things very tough.

Using his facebook site he posts photos of his latest stock and last weekend, people did make the effort to cross the ranges to grab some of the highly sought-after Temuka pottery he stocks.

"I use Facebook quite a bit, more as an awareness tool, but I might have to try more on-line trading," he said.

"I do have a website, but it's inefficient, however, as a sole trader I've got to look at where I can generate sales."

Traffic counter figures from the Tararua District Council show 70 per cent of traffic coming off the Saddle Rd in the seven days up to last Monday was travelling through Woodville.

Meanwhile, Mr Nattrass isn't holding much hope that a new, alternate route across the ranges will be the answer for Woodville.

"The politicians are saying all the right things now, but it's election year," he said.

"Really, the trucking lobby is huge in this country and they don't want a route which slows them down to 50km/h. Woodville has just 1200 residents, 1500 if you count the farming area, so what clout do we have? The trucking lobby is incredibly well funded. "

Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis has said she's determined to ensure Woodville isn't bypassed by any new alternate route and has given NZTA and the Government this message "loud and clear".

And although Mr Nattrass said he hasn't heard much about a hybrid tunnel through the existing Manawatu Gorge, being proposed by Tararua District deputy mayor Allan Benbow, he believes any route which would guarantee traffic through Woodville would be a great option.

Meanwhile, in a bid to help themselves, a Woodville business group, mainly younger ones, are working to promote the town.

"It's great to see," Tararua District councillor Peter Johns said.

"They've already initiated a shop and win promotion and have approached Woodville Districts Vision to see if they can help with a $3000 holiday package to enhance the competition."