Letters: Time to stop comparing Rotorua to Tauranga

We need to stop this comparison nonsense and realise Rotorua's future as a vibrant tourist town lies in our unique point of difference, says a reader. Photo/Stephen Parker

I have been over the continual comparison of my hometown with that of Tauranga for some time, yet once again the old perennial cringe whinge about how we are lagging behind Tauranga hits our press headlines (January 28); it begs the question why?

My perception is that Tauranga's view of Rotorua is akin to our view of Tokoroa and I can almost feel the cringe whinge emanating from that utterance.

The Rotorua Daily Post elicits a naive street view about whether we have enough houses being built knowing that the answer is that we do not have the demand for this because in my opinion Aucklanders prefer to move to Tauranga, not Rotorua; thank goodness for that!

We need to stop this comparison nonsense; comparing apples with oranges and realise that our future as a vibrant tourist town lies in our unique point of difference. This is our comparatively small, compact, friendly, tourist town feel that even Tauranga people want to visit to get away from the Auckland grind which Tauranga is fast approaching. Best of luck to them I say and lets keep Rotorua beautiful.

JOSEPH GIELEN
Glenholme

King Size Burger Bar will be missed

Like many Rotorua residents I shall miss the passing of King Size Burger Bar. The late Joe Horvath of Joe's Diner told me he got into the food business peeling onions for the owners of a pie-cart that usually sat on the north-eastern corner of the Amohau-Fenton St intersection. Joe's Diner opened in 1966. Kingsize opened not long before, I believe 1964. Sadly, I cannot remember the name of the original owners, but it might be Holmes. Perhaps older members of the public can remember the name of the original owners and the year it opened.

CHEYNE MCDOWALL
Rotorua