Waihī Beach Businesses Face Months-Long Closures After Storm Damage

Two Waihī Beach businesses expect to remain closed for several months following devastating flood damage caused by the 21–22 January storm. Pip and Joanne Coombes, owners of Surf Shack Eatery on Emerton Road, said floodwaters destroyed everything at knee level, including 11 or 12 fridge-freezers and all their contents. Pip Coombes said she had already taken about 940kg of food waste to the dump. The couple were awaiting an insurance assessor to assess the full extent of losses and said they would need to replace the kitchen, flooring, toilet, all white ware, and other water-damaged items.

Next door, Victoria Lemon Transform Today gym suffered similarly severe damage. Owner Victoria Lemon received a photo at 7am on 22 January showing the gym's interior submerged in waist-deep water. Because of the ferocity of the overnight storm, all electrically powered equipment needed replacing, including treadmills, cable machines, an elliptical cross-trainer, the stereo system, office computer, and printer. All paper-based records were also destroyed. Lemon, who rents the building, expected it to be closed for several months.

Despite the scale of the damage, both business owners acknowledged the community support had been remarkable. Pip Coombes said the help from neighbours and the wider community had been "wonderful", with people opening their homes at short notice and checking on one another throughout the ordeal.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).