The former Waimana Butcher shop that Harry Crabtree made famous throughout the Bay of Plenty for his secret-recipe sausages is being demolished.
Susan McConnachie, a neighbour and partner of one of Crabtree’s sons, told Local Democracy Reporting she learned of the plans to demolish the building from a tradesperson visiting the building.
She said she had the demolition plans confirmed by the new owners, Tūhoe iwi authority Te Uru Taumatua, who told her the building was not in good condition.
“It’s just so sad,” McConnachie said.
Crabtree, 95, lived in the house behind the shop up until last year, when he moved into a rest home.
He moved to New Zealand from England in the 1950s, having previously worked as a small goods butcher. He purchased the store from Aubrey Theobald as a young man and served the Waimana community there until he was 75.
He stayed on part-time when his son Ralph Crabtree took over the business.
When the shop closed its doors in 2005, three generations of Crabtree were working there: Harry, and Ralph’s son Karl.
Karl Crabtree still operates a farm-kill butchery at another property in Waimana.
“[Harry] made the best sausages. He brought the recipe from England. His sausages were sold all over New Zealand and people even took them overseas.”
Before it was a butcher’s shop, the property was the original home of the Waimana Dairy Factory, which began making cheese in 1907. The dairy factory moved to new premises in 1914. Crabtree brought the property in the 1950s from Aubrey Theobald, who was a butcher.
Te Uru Taumata has been approached for comment on the demolition plans.
Former Waimana General Store owner and district councillor Andrew Iles described the store as “iconic”.
“Harry’s sausages weren’t only known in Waimana. They were renowned in the whole of the Bay of Plenty. People would come from far and wide to collect their rations of Harry’s sausages,” he said.
Though it was only a tiny building it was “super-efficient”, doing home kills and processing, as well as retail.
He recalled the days when locals phoned the store and had their groceries delivered.
“Back in the day when Bell and Hodgson had the store, Harry would have all the beef parcels made up, and our delivery van would pick up the meat orders and deliver them along with their groceries from the shop.
“The driver would actually go and put your meat in the fridge for you. Those were the days when everyone trusted everyone and houses weren’t locked and we provided the service.
“Long lost, unfortunately,” Iles said.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
The couple spend five months a year in America running their business.