06 Sep Past its heyday hotel will be home for more than 300 people
Dale Faulkner had lived a life of abusing “the hard stuff” and had been to prison more than once; but by the time he came to live at The Angus, he was more than ready to leave it all behind.
Originally from Auckland, he moved to Hawke’s Bay in search of a fresh start away from his old life and influences.
When he was released from prison earlier this year he spent the first two months staying at the Salvation Army, before being referred to a scheme that helps people facing barriers to work and in need of a temporary roof.
Faulkner is now happily employed retreading tires at a small company and has been doing maintenance work at The Angus.
He’s keeping busy, and The Angus provides a good environment to adjust to life on the outside.
During the 1980s The Angus was a popular venue for weddings and functions and had a well known nightclub called The Turf.
Its heyday long gone, the hotel was dated and tired when Thornhill Horticultural Contractors bought it last year to turn it into more than 300 beds for workers on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
The family-run business is one the country’s largest employers of seasonal labour, and the hotel is intended to provide much needed extra housing for the yearly influx of RSE workers it employs.
But it hasn’t stopped there.
Hawke’s Bay has both high unemployment, currently at nearly 5 per cent and a housing shortage, so when Thornhill bought the hotel complex last year, it was a no brainer to try to kill several birds with one stone.
The Angus now provides a home for ex-prisoners and beneficiaries heading back to work through the Accommodate to Work scheme. People are referred by the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) and the Department of Corrections.
The accommodation is subsidised by Thornhill and includes food and transport along with full-time horticultural work.
Thornhill invested $5.5 million buying The Angus and into its ongoing re-fit to accommodate people. The company plans to spend another $1m to convert the former bottle store and club on the site to add another 160 beds.
Accommodation costs $135 a week for seasonal workers, who sleep four to a room. Kiwi’s getting back into work get their own room, subsidised by MSD for $220 a week.
Part of the upgrade includes a $30,000 spend to get the place fully kitted out with broadband.
Thornhill business manager, Nick Bibby says wi-fi is a gamechanger for residents. After a hard day’s work, most of them just want to connect with their families.
“Now they can all lie on their beds and Skype their families. They’re much happier, you can see it,” Bibby says.
Manager Ellen Hamlin says there is a almost a riot if it goes down.
“You know about it pretty quickly.”
The package also includes personal washing, a change of linen and Netflix.
The Accommodate to Work scheme has been a lifeline for Faulkner, and others like Daniel Junior Tetonga who despite having held down work for 10 years in the horticultural sector, found himself without a job or anywhere to live.
When he arrived two months ago, 27-year-old Tetonga said he had nothing. But now, back in steady work and saving money, he thinks he’ll have a car soon.
He had never been into a Work and Income office before so he was surprised at how quickly he was placed at The Angus.
“I moved in that weekend,” he said.
And while it was a bit different to what he was used to, he’s gotten to know “the boys” and says it feels like home.
He’s working up to becoming a foreman and moving into his own place in the near future.
“I’m halfway there.”
Faulkner said the subsidised accommodation means that he can “tuck money away” to prepare for the next step.
Ex-prisoners are carefully vetted to make sure they will be a good fit for The Angus.
“They need to have the right sort of attitude to live in a communal space. They need to be going back to work,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin managed the hotel before it was sold to Thornhill. She’s still the manager, but her role has taken on an element of social work.
Hamlin knows the name of every resident and interacts with almost everyone she passes, or offers a quiet word in a corner.
“She know’s who’s off sick, who needs help getting to the doctor, which residents might be going through a hard time and is just great with them on a personal level,” Bibby said.
The kitchen recently received a $100,000 upgrade. Bibby says Thornhill wanted to ensure that residents were getting proper nutrition.
In the past it was common for workers to erupt in boils because of nutrient deficiencies.
Pot noodles are out and residents are served a continental breakfast, a packed lunch for the field, and protein-rich meals like curry and lamb stew in the evening.
The catering is contracted, and chef Jensen Cherapparamban is busy preparing the most delicious smelling butter chicken. Meat on the bone is a must for the Pacific Islanders, so he only uses drumsticks, he said.
Residents pay $92 a week for their meals, and get ever-popular fried chicken and chips on Sundays “for a treat”.
Thornhill has a policy of employing Kiwis first and Bibby says he has come to appreciate how many barriers exist for a person without the right resources behind them. Basic obstacles such as not having access to online banking or a computer to write a CV.
While the Accommodate to Work scheme was initially meant to operate during the off season, Thornhill is hoping to be able to provide some permanent beds after the old nightclub is renovated.