Menz Shed to shift into old store

GIFTED: Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard formally hands over the keys of the old bottle store to president of the Featherston Menz Shed Colin Olds, in front of South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

The Featherston Menz Shed is a step closer to opening the doors to its new home after the keys were formally handed over by Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard last Friday.

In January, Trust House donated the Bottle-O store building to South Wairarapa District Council, to be used by the social group which carries out personal and community projects.

A new bottle store is being built into the trust's new Featherston Gateway complex which left the building spare.

President of the Featherston Menz Shed Colin Olds said members spent the weekend preparing the building to be shifted which they were hoping would be this week.

"We are delighted, I think the building is going to serve a real purpose in the community, it will certainly add value."

He said they were aiming to be operational by mid-December after some remedial work was carried out. Mayor Adrienne Staples said the members had asked council if they could use an old garage behind Anzac Hall but it was being used for storage.

When she heard the bottle store was going spare she thought it "would be an absolutely suitable building".

She phoned Mr Pollard, met him for coffee and proposed the idea, which he agreed to take to the board.

Mrs Staples said Menz Sheds were successful around the country.

"I'm thrilled, regardless of what anybody says, the Menz Shed concept is incredibly good for the community."

Featherston's town centre is set to look quite different by the end of the year with the new Menz Shed and Featherston Gateway due to be completed this month.

Construction started in January to house Gusto cafe and bakery, the post office, the bottle store and SuperValue supermarket under one roof.

Gusto shifted from its old premises on November 2 and re-opened yesterday.