Editorial: Tough times take toll

Peter Jongenelen wishes he had moved to Eat Streat.

As your local newspaper, we regularly report on businesses opening, moving or (sadly) closing in your city.

Many of you are interested in the reasons behind a shop or restaurant's move or closure, or about a new one opening up.

After all, for us, it might mean somewhere new to shop, eat out or get your hair done.

This week I was reminded there is always a human face and human emotions behind those stories. In a small city like Rotorua, longstanding locally run businesses and the people behind them can have a huge impact on their community.

It's nice to be able to recognise that even when, or especially when, it's ending.

As I write this, Peter Jongenelen is probably in the middle of the send-off to his Belgian Bar, which he's owned and loved for nearly a decade.

As we reported in Saturday's paper, Mr Jongenelen's been forced to close the Arawa St bar and live-music venue due to tough times. In hindsight, he wishes he'd moved to Eat Streat when it was first getting up and running. Maybe then he'd still be going strong.

With new wine and tapas bar Atticus Finch set to open in Eat Streat, that does raise the question of whether you now have to be in the popular dining precinct to thrive. But that's a question for another day.

What struck me about Mr Jongenelen's story was how businesses are more than just businesses. They are a huge part of people's lives. Giving them up can be heartbreaking.

I wasn't there for yesterday's friends of Belgian Bar final gig and jam session, but I hear a lot of musos and friends were making the trip to show Mr Jongenelen they, too, will miss his place.

I have no doubt they sent the Belgian Bar out in the style it, and Mr Jongenelen, deserved.