HuttNZ

Well after last weeks effort I promised myself that this week I would get there earlier.

Attendance was good as another pleasant day had occurred, purchased a Cup Cake from the Cup Cake stall, and got a huge sugar overload. Bit of competition from the alternative market in the Mall, but to not put it to nicely had the tack that I generally avoid. It is a craft /tinkers market.

No doubt both have a place and will feed off one another, but it is early days yet, they need to become established to survive and given the rigorous conditions to become a Farmers Market, they will need support to outlast several wet Sundays, being outside. The word on the street is that an organic vegetable supplier is coming, which will hopefully boost numbers. I also have the feel that an organic market as part of a larger market akin to something like the Lower Hutts Riverbank Market would help, but it’s not my project and I do wish them all the best especially the suppliers. (see here for more details and links from last week)

Well I was late, told myself I would have to be early but didn’ t time my arrival till about 11.30.

Seems I missed all the activity which occurred after 9am, so ably I’m handing the review over to TheInquiringMind, who did arrive early and posted a comprehensive review on his blog.

I did have the opportunity to catch up with Chris who is responsible for the web presence of the market and Helen part of Upper Hutt Experience. They were extremely pleased with the inaugural result and received a lot of encouraging feedback from both suppliers and visitors, so I am sure that this will develop into a great asset for the city.

Enjoy the photos courtesy of Chris and if you are up that way early Sunday enjoy!

Check them out at Upper Hutt Farmers Market Website and Twitter account

New Zealands best top chip shop has been annonced it was won by Oceanz in Silverdale, located 35km north of Auckland, in this year’s best chip shop competition. Chip shops were judged on the freshness and colour of their chips, shop cleanliness and customer service. Regional finalists were decided through public text voting, mystery judging and chip fat analysis across New Zealand before the six regional winners and the overall winner were then chosen by a panel of judges. Not every F & C shop entered but it gives a pretty clear indication of quality.

But how did the Hutt Valley fair, and where is your local?

The regional finalist for Wellington was from the Hutt Valley and was So Fine Seafood at 2 Tennyson Avenue, Avalon, Lower Hutt.

I have freqented here and must say while not highly visible to the public being off High Street it certainly draws the crowds come Friday. Disappointingly they dont have EFTPOS which I always find annoying, and has caused me to travel further afield on occasion.

As for the rest of the Valley, finalists were:

Moby Dick’s Fish & Chip 51 Witako Street, Lower Hutt

Samo’s Seafood 52 Holdsworth Ave, Upper Hutt

Waterloo Fisheries 1 Hardy Street, Lower Hutt

Blue Island Seafood 131 Randwick Road, Lower Hutt

All competitions aren’t created equal and remember it was for the best chip not the fish, but great result for the Valley.

Whats your favourite?

My winner would be Ocean Blue Seafoods, the most cleanest, polite, prompt service I have had in the Valley. They are at 812 High Street corner of High Street and Park Road.

Thursday night brought heavy downpours across the entire Hutt Valley with surface flooding in several areas including the old Hutt Road reported from early morning. The Open Polythechnic was hit by two slips during the night which sent dirt and trees into the building on its eastern side. Lower Hutt experienced the highest recorded rainfall in the region with 69mm from 8pm last night to 8am this morning. Further heavy rainfall was experienced in late morning as well.

Conditions are not expected to improve tonight with further heavy rainfall forecast in the Tararuas and again across the Valley, late Saturday also has more of the same predicted.

 River levels at Silverstream Bridge Upper Hutt at midday

Several events have been moved in anticipation of the weather including the Upper Hutt Highland Gathering a national Scottish festival has moved already to the wet weather alternative at Heretaunga College.

 At this stage there is no news on alternative arrangements for the Belmont Spring Festival (returning after a 10 year hiatus) but the wet weather alternative day is 31st October.

 Waiwhetu stream hit 2 year flood levels early Friday morning, but had abated by noon.

Eastbourne flooding earlier in the morning.

It survived two world wars, the Depression and several economic downturns, but the recession has proved too much for a 115-year-old Upper Hutt shopping institution.

Furniture store Hazelwoods went into liquidation this week with the loss of 10 jobs. It first opened its doors in October, 1894 selling groceries and general goods but began selling furniture in 1984 in Upper Hutt’s Queen St.

Company owner Michael Gibbs said the furniture industry had been hard hit in the past few years and the business could not survive a downturn in sales because of the recession. The company had employed many people over the years and there were lots of fond memories, he said. A liquidation sale in which all furniture will be sold to maximise the return to creditors and shareholders is expected next week in both the company’s Upper Hutt and Tawa stores. The Tawa store is also closing.

via The Dominion Post

Well as a young fella I was trotted around Hazelwoods as my Mum looked  in the haberdashery department at the latest patterns, before heading up to Evans to do the same.

I remember clearly how I hated it, all these woman with these big pattern books flicking through them, probably only akin to the sense of earnest appropriate to the Six O’Clock swill for the men of the same decade. It was torture for me, any chance to escape to the toy department hindered by my young age and a firm grip from mum. That era was probably Hazelwoods halycon period, a time from a bygone era of single car families, if you were lucky, and black and white Tvs, and not a lot of competition.

For a lot of Upper Hutt folk, this shop is their Maceys of New York, and has been a regular port of call.

A somewhat fading giant over the last couple of years, it certainly will be the end of an era, and I hate to say it, Upper Hutt has always had Hazelwoods, no longer, bit sad really, it will leave a large gap in Main Street to fill.

Recession, Credit crunch and Harvey Norman, you Aussie import, with your interest free loans have a lot to answer for……..

An authentic farmers’ market in Upper Hutt, operating on Sundays in Russell St, is set for a November 1 opening.

Organised by the Experience Upper Hutt promotion group, the market will operate for four hours from 8.30am every Sunday, north of Thomson Ln, in a street area closed to traffic, Experience director Hellen Swales says.

“It has been organised and will run as an authentic farmers’ market, one of about 40 in the country,” Ms Swales says.

“Upper Hutt Farmers’ Market  A Fresh Xperience,” is already approved as a member of the Farmers’ Market Association New Zealand, she says.

The association describes the venture as “a food market where local growers, farmers and artisan food producers sell their wares directly to consumers”.

“Vendors may only sell what they grow, farm, pickle, preserve, bake, smoke or catch themselves from within a defined local area.”

“We’re hoping the market will act as an incubator for small businesses that need to grow,” Ms Swales says. By COLIN WILLIAMS – Upper Hutt Leader

Location of Thomson Lane beside Russell Street,  Farmers Market will be next door to Carpark.

This is great news, if you are a foodie (who isn’t) it really does need the support of people who live in the Hutt Valley, as the initial stages are always tough going for these ventures.

Having visited the Farmers Market in Hawkes Bay, you have to be early, so I guess November the 1st will be an early rise to arrive at 8.30am.

There are other Farmers Markets around like the Wairarapa Farmers Market  at Solway Showgrounds which I haven’t attended, but as a side note is hosting the NZ premier of the Movie “Food, Inc” (see trailer) on Wednesday 1st Oct at the Regent Cinema in Masterton, if interested see their website for details.

What a beautiful day, with just a light sprinkling of snow on the Tararuas overlooking Upper Hutt for this years Spring Festival.

Thanks must go to the Upper Hutt Womans Centre  and the Rimutaka Trust for organising the event. The Womans Centre estimated profits from this years event would be around $12,000, which would help fund courses, counselling and operating costs. The centre is among the many organisations running community education classes whose funding has been axed by the government from next year.

Many other local community and business groups did a roaring trade as entertainment of all sorts was provided to what must have been a record crowd in attendance. It still was difficult to travel down Main Street at 2.30pm, just shows what great weather can do.

Just some video highlights below of the activities and entertainment offered :-

The huge crowd in attendance

More of the entertainment on offer

Vintage cars from Wellington Classic Car Clubs including vintage Hazelwood Delivery vehicle

Upper Hutt Police are grateful for the CCTV cameras which helped them identify and catch a group of young thieves who had stolen from a 14 year old autistic boy.

The incident occurred at approximately 4pm on the Wednesday 2nd September 2009 at the Upper Hutt Railway Station. The boy had been waiting at a bus shelter when a group of youths formulated a plan to steal his school bag.

While the boy was not looking, one of the youths threw the victim’s school bag across the station subway area into the waiting arms of two others. Two of the group rifled through the boy’s bag taking a cell phone and wallet, items which he depended on for communicating with his family.

After removing the items, the group threw the bag back across the railway station towards the victim.

The boy became very distraught when he noticed his bag missing. He was visibly shaken and vulnerable and was comforted by a bus driver at the time.

Upper Hutt police conducted area patrols of the railway station and surrounding streets. Members of the public provided information regarding the youth’s whereabouts and they were apprehended by Police. Two youths have been referred to Police Youth Aid for their offending.

“The combination of evidence from CCTV footage, members of the public has helped us to track down these youths and return this boy’s property. CCTV is very a valuable tool and we’re very grateful that we have it”, said Constable Dave Higgins, who was one of the attending officers.

Constable Higgins commented that with further advances in the CCTV technology in the city, apprehensions of offenders for similar type offending could be greatly enhanced.

Via NZ Police