Whanganui’s New Zealand Glassworks nearing capacity but relocation not on table

Helen Craig says New Zealand Glassworks is "a great add-on" to Whanganui's art scene. Photo / NZME

Business is booming at New Zealand Glassworks in Whanganui but the facility’s limitations and loss of gas sponsorship mean ratepayers will still have an annual bill of about $237,000.

A report from manager Madeline Prowd said revenue for the current financial year was budgeted at $380,000, against a cost of $617,571. The glassworks was running close to capacity and the demand for studio hire was “outrunning the availability of hot glass and the kiln capacity”.

“This is the main impediment to the potential growth of programmes, capabilities as a studio and potential for increased revenue.” There had been a 33% increase in numbers for the public workshop programme compared to last year, it said. The facility is run by the Whanganui District Council.

Libraries and community manager Pete Gray told the council’s operations and performance committee the price and number of public workshops had increased since budgets were set but a lot of revenue depended on sales at the gallery’s shop. “That is something we don’t have direct control over.”

Council community and customer experience general manager Marianne Cavanagh said the facility had lost its gas sponsorship – worth $40,000 in its final year – and that needed to be made up with revenue. She said a business case to investigate moving the glassworks was put forward for the council’s current Long-Term Plan (2024-34) but did not make it. If it was included, councillors would have investigated and identified a new location, with about $500,000 in debt funding spent on relocation, new equipment and fit-out in 2025-26.

Councillor Michael Law said meeting 2024-25 targets would be “a good win” in the current market. “If we can carry that movement forward, a break-even business sounds perfectly good to me. It feels like you are trying to create a business as opposed to spending money.”

Deputy Mayor Helen Craig said artists and the public enjoyed the facility, which was “a great add-on” to Whanganui’s art scene. “Five or six new galleries have opened up in the last month or so. That is pretty exciting.”

Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan endorsed Craig’s comments but said wider discussions were needed about the facility heading into the next Annual Plan (2025-26).

“The ratepayer should have an interest in it, we have have an interest in it,” she said. “What is the thinking from NZ Glassworks and from [council] management, so we can make the right decision for the next few years.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.