Hey Jimmy, what have you got to say about Hastings ?

Even Jimmy Carr sees a need to control the mouth, but Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst is keen to hear what he has to say about the city and venue for his three shows in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Supplied

British comedian Jimmy Carr’s dig at the host city for his New Zealand tour opener doesn’t faze Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst as her city, once named Hicksville, prepares to host three of the last gigs later this month.

Carr is not unknown for taking jestful pot-shots at locations around the globe, so it was no surprise that he heralded Wednesday night’s opener with a “frankly no improvement on the original” poke at host-city New Plymouth.

He was, of course, harking back to Plymouth, the England port from which Captain Cook and the barque Endeavour sailed in August 1768 on the voyage which would lead he and his crew to New Zealand 14 months later.

Hazlehurst says such digs are “what comedians do” and adds: “We’d love to hear what he thinks of Hastings.”

The name Hicksville, after settler Francis Hicks, barely took hold, and next year marks 150 years since it was named Hastings, after Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of India.

Hazlehurst notes “we now call ourselves Heretaunga Hastings”, which she says better reflects the wider district and its history.

There seems already a mutual affection between Carr and Hastings, with now three sell-out shows meaning almost 3000 people will see the host of television show Eight Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown in the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre performance precinct $20 million revitalisation of the historic Opera House and Municipal Building.

The first, on January 25 starting at 7.30pm, was quickly sold out, resulting in scheduling of a second, starting at 9.30pm.

It too was sold out, and now Carr will return from Auckland for the third, tour-ending show on January 31, now also sold out, leaving even the mayor looking for a spare seat.

His tour also includes three outings in Wellington this weekend, two in Dunedin midweek, and five in Auckland, on successive nights January 21-24 and on January 29.

Following the tour end in Hastings, Carr heads for a month-long tour of Australia.

Hazlehurst says the three shows are “huge for Hastings” as the city and district builds a reputation for the facilities, with such bookings as the Royal New Zealand Navy Band and Irish legends The Proclaimers among acts Hastings-bound.

“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to have these in Hastings, and to not have to go to the big cities.”