Covid pressures force wine tasting hub into hibernation

Thursday, 24 February 2022

Wine Station owner Angela Wentworth has decided to hibernate the Wine Station from the 12th of March until favourable trading conditions return.

The Wine Station is set to temporarily close its doors as Covid-19 continues to affect small businesses.

Wine Station owner Angela Wentworth said she was 'sadly' placing the business into hibernation from March 12 because of Omicron and the uncertainty of its potential impact.

“After Christmas, when Omicron became more present and people were starting to become more concerned about it, we found that there was less people travelling, hesitancy using vaccine passes, and people just very weary about going out.

“There were no relief packages from the Government at that stage, and we were just very uncertain about what it would mean for our business, had any of the staff contracted Omicron.”

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The Chocolate Station was a successful addition to the Wine Station but was not enough to get the business through the winter period.

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Wentworth said she was thankful for the community support and the work of her six staff.

“Our team has been wonderfully resilient and dedicated during these challenging times.

“We certainly would have not achieved what we have without them and without our customers' loyalty,” she said.

Opened in January 2018 at Blenheim's old railway station, the tasting room showcases local wines and food products.

Wentworth said their suppliers were understanding as they were small businesses like them.

Dolce restaurant and The Cleghorn Bistro & Bar owner Owen Rarity said as Covid cases grow, the town was getting noticeably quieter.

“They are in the same boat, having to make financial decisions, none of them were upset or angry with our decision.

“They could understand the situation that we were in, and they are really keen to keep in contact with us and be a key supply again when we reopen in the spring in summer,” Wentworth said.

While waiting for busier months, a lot of local businesses have to deal with a ‘very quiet’ town.

Blenheim’s CBD is in good financial health, but more could be done from a pedestrian point of view.

Blenheim businessman Owen Rarity who runs a restaurant and a bistro in town said he started to notice a decline in December when the vaccine pass was introduced.

“As the cases grow each day, it gets quieter and quieter.

“But we kind of have forgotten that we are triple jabbed, we are all wearing a mask and, and we are in a fairly safe environment, especially in hospitality.”

Rarity said local support was critical.

“The more businesses in the town suffer, the more likely they are going to disappear, and we will end up with a town full of boring chain stores because that's what is going to happen.

“It can also take a whole generation of experienced business people out.”

A Marlborough Town Centre Health Check report prepared for council between December and February revealed that pedestrians are still seeking more from the CBD regarding improvements, including food and retail stores, pedestrian friendly areas, and a cohesive vibe throughout the CBD.

It was the sixth health check report prepared for council, with five other studies carried out in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

“It seems as though Blenheim pedestrians are looking for the same developments year after year, given the decreasing percentage of people who think the CBD is improving each health check.

“Financially, the Blenheim CBD is operating healthily, despite all uncertainty across the globe.

“Although the CBD has remained fairly similar to the previous check, the overall quality is reasonably high, adequately providing to the Blenheim community,” the report said

A new Covid-19 support payment of $4000 per business plus $400 per full-time worker will be made available for some businesses affected by the Omicron outbreak, the Government announced on Monday.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said, to qualify for the payment, businesses must show a 40 per cent drop in seven consecutive days within the six weeks prior to the shift to phase two of the Government’s Omicron response on February 15.