Ormondville Rail Preservation Group Inc.
Pea, Pie & 'Pud Express
Brebner Print Art Deco Weekend- 15 February 2003
(Part Two)
The media write-up: "Napier kicks up its Deco heels"
17.02.2003 - Hawkes Bay Today
TANIA MCCAULEY
Planes, a train and many automobiles helped this Art Deco Weekend feel like one of the best yet, co-ordinator Peter Mooney said today.
"Oh, and don't forget the weather," he said.
After two years of damp Art Deco Weekends the clear skies - apart from a few downpours on Friday - had organisers counting their blessings.
It was difficult to say exactly how many people turned out for the event, but Mr Mooney believed it would at least equal the estimated 12,000 who came last year.
"From ticket sales, and from being at almost all of the events, I would say it was bigger than ever."
He estimated at least 8000 people attended the Gatsby Picnic between the War Memorial Centre and the Sound Shell on Marine Parade yesterday. By mid-afternoon it was hard to move.
At one point seven bi-planes flew overhead.
"With the planes trundling overhead it really made it feel like the 30s," Mr Mooney said.
The 400 people on board the steam train for the "Pea, Pie & Pud" run to Ormondville had a longer stay than expected in the southern Hawke's Bay town, but apparently had a blast.
The train left Napier at 4pm and did not make it back until after 1am, due to a variety of causes including slow speeds because of heated tracks and a goods train running late.
The Settlers Arms Hotel was packed, although the visitors had to settle for Tui rather than chardonnay, and the Ormondville Preservation Society did well from its historical lectures, charging $2 a head.
Many of the locals came to the station to wave them goodbye at 11pm.
Late trains were a fact of life anywhere in the world, and when it came to such events, everybody, including organisers, had to be prepared for some lateness, Mr Mooney said. There were no problems the following day for the return trip to Waiokau and Holt's Bush.
Other highlights were having the Royal New Zealand Navy Band in town, performing twice and parading the Veronica bell to and from the Veronica Sun Bay, the HMS Resolution being docked at the Port of Napier, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force aerobatic team Red Checkers wowing those on the ground in the airforce's training squadron planes.
Napier Inner-city Marketing manager Robyn Simon said Art Deco Weekend provided a chance to showcase the city on a world stage.
"I don't think I have ever seen so many thousands of people in the central city area," she said.
"There was a continous number from early on Saturday to late on Sunday."
It might not translate into brilliant retail sales for a lot of shops, but there were indirect flow-on effects such as visitors staying on longer and the coverage from international film crews, she said.
For most cafes, the event brought the best trading weekend of the year, Ms Simon said. Accommodation was in high demand as people booked out motels in Napier, Hastings and Havelock North.
Clinton Green, who ran the Deco City Motor Lodge in Napier, said a large number of guests had already re-booked for next year's event.
Another hotelier said the accommodation demand had forced some visitors to stay in motels as far away as Waipukurau.