The government and the Hastings District Council have announced a joint relief package of $200,000 for businesses in Havelock North affected by the gastro outbreak. But businesses we spoke to say the money is only a drop in the bucket.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule told Te Kāea, “We do not want a large big bureaucratic process we know businesses need some help we want to find a way effectively and quickly to provide that help and we're working on that from this afternoon on.”
Some relief for those who have been hit hard in the food and beverage industry.
Wright & Co Cafe Havelock North owner Liv Reynolds says, “We're still having to boil water and the logistics behind that is a nightmare it's timely and it's costly and it's having a big impact.”
Here at the Pipi Cafe, they have lost up to 70% of their customers but say they are slowly beginning to pick up again.
Pipi Café owner Alexandra Tyler says, “It's just the emotional stress you're trying to keep the staff, you know telling the staff, this is time, and we're of course worried about how long it's going to go on for.”
National Party MP for Tukituki Craig Foss says, “The funding from the government is particularly about helping promotion the strong reputation of Havelock, Hastings and Hawkes Bay.”
However, it's a reputation that has been tarnished.
“There are a few businesses who export and who are already saying that they're taking the name Havelock off their products because people overseas don't want them,” says Tyler.
The full cost of the crisis to the town and the region is unknown and is expected to come out after the government inquiry.