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National | Alert Level 3

Waimana café owners eager to reopen, grateful for community support

As the alert level comes down next week, businesses which are able to operate under the level 3 rules are preparing to open for business.  Although Nukuhou North Café and Takeaways in the Bay of Plenty are used to takeaway services, there have been some challenges they have had to overcome.

"We've got big dreams and we want to do some cool stuff with this place but like everyone said Rome wasn't built in a day," Tamara Herdman says.

Eager to get back to work, Tane Nicholas and partner Tamara Herdman's Nukuhou North Café and Takeaways business in Waimana had only been open for three months before the country went into lockdown. Their initial plan was to hold a stall at this year's Tūhoe Ahurei in early April but plans changed due to the cancellation of the event.

"It was scary, we threw everything on the line and a couple of months later we can't work and the bills are huge," Tane Nicholas says.

"Most of the produce we had just boxed it up and handed it out to the whānau - people who were struggling, just gave it to them," he says. "Any perishables, we just gave it away," Tamara agrees.

Although they were forced to close so quickly, they are both eager to operate again as of next week.

"It actually gave us a month to sit down and have a look at our menu planning," Tamara says. "Trying to widen our menu and get a little bit more soul food in for our people," Tane adds.

"We are lucky that we are a takeaways business, we have a lot of online and over the phone orders anyway. It could be tricky for some businesses who are trying to adjust and be takeaway as well," Tamara says.

As Tane and Tamara prepare to open for business next week, many businesses in the small district remain closed to ensure the safety of their staff and the community

"That's our decision at the moment, to open at level 2 because of little things like that, making our staff feel comfortable and safe," Cafe4U owner Taylor Ulufonua says.

Concerns continue to grow as some business owners fear the worst, however, they are encouraging community support.

"I think it's about people remembering that McDonalds and KFC are great but there's a lot of businesses that are local and are in town that will need to be supported," Tamara says.

"I look at a business as just another business, they are trying to put food on the table like we are,"  Taylor says.

"I don't look at them as a competition, I look at them as business owners and we support that. We go and eat at other cafes, not to spy on them or anything, but to support them because we understand and know that is greatly appreciated and greatly needed."

Next Tuesday more businesses around New Zealand will begin to operate under level 3 rules.