Whangarei's Youth Hostel is being sold as part of the Youth Hostel Association's national strategy for adapting to the effects of the worldwide economic downturn.
Daniel Shields, NZ sales and marketing manager, said the organisation needed to do some things differently to survive.
"We are like a lot of tourism businesses at the moment, facing some tough choices," he said.
The strategy was redirection rather than retrenching.
"We have properties in small centres all over New Zealand and some major properties in the big centres, and we are assessing them all to see how best we can represent the YHA around the country. We are working at developing slightly different mixes of arrangements with licensees which we think might work better than our current arrangements."
The buildings on the site (52 Punga Grove Rd) are a house and adjacent accommodation block, which have a fine view of the Whangarei Town Basin where values have rocketed over the past 10 years.
Mr Shields said the property and hostel business could be sold as a package, or a buyer could buy the land and buildings and not the business.
"They might want to run an independent back-packer business which is fine, in which case someone else, at some other location might like to pick up the YHA licence or work in partnership with us," he said.
Tenders for the property close at 4pm on September 5.
The YHA is an incorporated society, managed by a professional team, with all profits returned to the organisation to carry out its objectives. The association has recently sold a property in Oamaru, which was bought by the current occupants and holders of the licence.
Canada moves in
Canadian firm Cervus Equipment Corp has bought Fieldpower Northland's John Deere tractor dealerships, as part of a strong push into the New Zealand market.
The dealerships, at Whangarei and Waipapa in the Bay of Islands, are now trading as Cervus Equipment Ltd. Former Fieldpower manager Geordie Forbes has been appointed Cervus Equipment regional manager, managing both dealerships. Cervus is also buying three dealerships owned by Bayquip Agricultural in Gisborne, Te Puke and Tauranga.
The Canadian firm plans to spend C$4.9 million ($6.1 million) in cash and shares on the five John Deere dealerships and increase its 60 per cent stake in Agriturf (which has six John Deere dealerships) to full ownership. Agriturf has dealerships in the central and lower North Island.
Cervus holds interests in 52 agricultural, industrial, commercial and transport equipment dealerships across Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Mitre 10 out
The land and buildings occupied by the Mitre 10 Home & Trade store at the Regent in Whangarei are under contract for sale, but the new owner will have different tenants.
The Home & Trade store ceases to exist from this Sunday and will be replaced by the new Whangarei Mitre 10 Megastore in Porowini Ave, which opens on August 30.
The search for new tenants for the building at the Regent - vacant from this Monday - is in the hands of Bayleys Whangarei. Bayleys consultant Ross Blomfield says the new owner is open to a range of tenancy possibilities and possibly flexible financial arrangements. The property is available either on a sub-lease basis from Mitre 10 or a new direct lease with the property owner.
The site is zoned business activity 3, which covers a wide range of uses including retail, showroom, light industrial, office and other commercial uses. The Mitre 10 operation has a main retail area, office space, a drive-through facility a garden centre and a cafe. The site also has 90 car parks which could be increased to up to 120 by utilising some of the outdoor area occupied by the garden centre, and is accessed from both Kamo Rd and Manse St.
The store was established on the site eight years ago, replacing a much smaller store in the Whangarei CBD. Mitre 10 Group subsequently sold the land and buildings and the store became a tenant. The current owner is the South Island-based DNZ Property Group.
Riverside sale
Pending consents for a change of use, the lease of the land and buildings of the former Fagans Fertiliser Works (201-209 Port Rd) has been bought by South Auckland development investors. Due diligence requirements have been satisfied and the sale will be completed if the consents are obtained.
The vendor is Ballance Agri-Nutrients.
The 1.8944ha prime Whangarei District Council-owned harbourside site includes a rail siding, a jetty and several buildings covering around 7320sq m. The new lessee will redevelop the building following removal of asbestos sheeting and also plans to beautify the site, create public access along the river with pontoons for boats and repair the jetty for general use.
Allsortz expands
An expansion that will almost double North Haven Hospice's fund-raising shop Allsortz to a floor area of 1600sq m will be marked by a rebranding exercise to raise awareness of where the earnings are spent. The shop, which generates a large amount of foot traffic in the Whangarei CBD, is being renamed North Haven Hospice Shop to help make the point that the business is essential to the survival of the hospice service.
North Haven funding, development and communications manager Hannah Blake says demand for services is increasing but funding from the Northland District Health Board has stayed the same for the past two years and North Haven is faced with needing to raise at least $1.6 million a year to keep going. The expanded shop will feature hospice branding colours and a hospice information wall. The shop is run by a team of 260 volunteers, and paid employees Kathy McMillan, the manager, and administrative assistant John Ivy. Building owner Colin Holwell has played a leading role in the fit-out and achieving the expansion.