Post-cyclone community hub pub re-opens with sold-out evening

After Cyclone Gabrielle struck Hawke's Bay, a country pub became a bustling community centre for locals needing to sort their lives.

But the pub, The Puketapu, was also damaged by floodwater and had to close for months of repairs - until now.

The Puketapu opened on Friday night with a sold-out evening for more than 200 locals.

Owner Mary Danielson and about 20 staff were working feverishly as the 3pm opening approached in order to provide a bright spot for a still-shellshocked community.

"It's up and down. There's a lot of people that are probably in a more distressed state than they were before," she said.

"Everyone's just working through it. I think it's the uncertainty about their houses. It's not great."

On 14 February the Puketapu bridge across the Tūtaekurī River was destroyed by floodwater, a torrent that also inundated homes in the settlement west of Napier. It flowed into the pub, too.

"The walls, the carpet, the chairs. We've got new chairs in here. [The water] came up above the knee," Danielson said.

"It was quite bad in here. Everything flowed right through into the kitchen. Everything was upside down - all the fridges and everything."

But after plenty of elbow grease and sleepless nights the pub was transformed, and was again ready for business.

The restaurant area was carpeted and the walls redone, as was the bar area, with its new beer taps.

For Friday's opening a bus picked up residents from southern Puketapu, who would otherwise face a long drive with the bridge out.

"I'm anxious but excited - really excited to see everyone come back in, and the support over this weekend is massive. It's totally full," Danielson said.

There were still a few tasks to do, and some building materials were yet to arrive, but the chillers were full - including with some special local drops.

Danielson showed RNZ a Milton Villa chardonnay from Dartmoor Road.

"It got buried under the silt. They've taken it all over to WineWorks and got all the bottles cleaned up. It means a lot to us to have it here to sell.

"They got hit very badly up there."

Silt and piles of damaged households items are long gone from the side of Puketapu's main street.

But for locals such as Olly Midgley, life was far from back to normal.

"We're kind of at a standstill... Round here properties are classified as 2 (c) and until we go to category one we don't get consent to re-pile the cottage."

Midgley said he was waiting for this, and in the meantime was living in a campervan in the driveway.

He was looking forward to the pub's reopening.

"There's a few people around here that I haven't caught up with for three months, so that will be good."

After the floods, amid stripped walls and on concrete floors, the pub became a centre for people to use the internet, see to their insurance, or just get a hot drink.

Danielson said even during its closure, it still hosted locals for the regular catch-ups.

"We've had, just out in the garden bar, on a Wednesday night a blokes' night, and a family night.

"We've just given out free food and they've had a drink. It's more about looking after the community. It's not about being open."

From this weekend it is about being open, as the final touches are made to the decor, including artwork and photos.

There's also a poem hanging on the wall, written by a local.

"The green has now turned to grey / A village closeknit that pulled many through / A time that has shown a colour or two / Much love and support from neighbours, and where would we be without the rest of you / Our bridges have gone linking friends and fun, leading us to the local to enjoy a cold one / Hoping that tomorrow will bring a new day."

Saturday at The Puketapu is another sold-out night, with visitors expected from far and wide.