Sun vital for Labour Weekend

Sunshine will be vital to make Wairarapa shine this Labour Weekend, Masterton Motel Association chairman said.
Several events are happening throughout Wairarapa over the three days and moteliers are shining their silver in preparation for the extra people required to fill their empty beds.
"We just need some sunshine," Wairarapa Motel Association of New Zealand chairman Ross Hewitt said. It's quite interesting in motelling when the sun shines people move around, people do a day trip when the sun shines."
In the lead-up to the big weekend, which will provide a welcome breather before the end-of-year festive preparations begin in earnest, moteliers are confident the people will come.
"I wouldn't say we're full but they're reasonably booked Saturday and Sunday," he said.
Mr Hewitt said this year there are few more gaps at his motel, Cornwall Park, with just three rooms available over the whole three days last year, but said that's the nature of the motel industry.
And this year with the arrival of BK's Chardonnay Motor Lodge in March, that has thrown another motel into the mix.
Trade over Labour Weekend for Wairarapa is likely to be centred in places such as Greytown, Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce chairman David Stevenson said. "I think people get into holiday mode for the weekend and come over the hill to chill out and have a nice lunch at one of the cafes or restaurants.
"Certainly the shopping in Greytown seems to have become quite trendy among Wellingtonians.
"It's becoming a bit of a Parnell of the south if you like, it's certainly a bit of a talking point among the well-to- do Wellingtonians."
However, he said some retailers in a place like Masterton have found it unaffordable to remain open on Labour Monday without imposing a public holiday surcharge.
"I guess some businesses will try and operate with a skeleton staff so that they can keep their costs down."
One person working on Monday is Carterton Video Ezy manager Tara Apperley, but she does not mind.
"It's only my brothers and sisters so to me it's just another day of work. For a job like this that I'm really enjoying it's not a hard thing," she says.