Grand plan: Former publican embarking on new Whanganui venture

Neville Gorrie is looking forward to his next venture when he leaves his beloved Grand Hotel. Photo / File

Whanganui publican Neville Gorrie reckons he might give some people a surprise with his new venture.

After years of toil, Gorrie sold his beloved Grand Hotel to a consortium and is now planning his next step.

"I loved the Grand, but I was tired of working seven days a week," he said.

The property changed hands on January 1, and he feels lucky to have made the sale before the onset of a pandemic that could disrupt business for years.

Gorrie bought the 1927 central city hotel in 2004, when it was in receivership.

He has now bought another Whanganui property and was about to move in when New Zealand's coronavirus lockdown began on March 26.

Instead, he stayed on at the hotel with the new owners, to help with security. But he will move soon and is looking for permanent or temporary storage for the double-decker bus he bought and has spent years restoring.

Neville Gorrie gave free rides in his 1954 London Transport double-decker bus at Vintage Weekend. Photo / Bevan Conley

He has a passenger service licence and used the bus to give free rides to about 400 people during this year's Vintage Weekend.

"People thought it was great that we were doing something for free," Gorrie said.

He'd like to carry on using the bus for "for free things and to bring another dimension to Whanganui", and he doesn't want his treasure to deteriorate outdoors. What's needed is a shed or garage more than 4.3m high.

The storage could be permanent or temporary, with Gorrie willing to drive the bus out whenever the owner requires. He can be contacted with offers on 021 799 808.

He doesn't want to say what kind of new property he has bought. But he is planning some charitable and business ventures there, and hopes to give people a surprise.

"There's life in the old boy yet," he said.