Fishing, playing golf and looking after the grandchildren are on Gerard Zandbergen’s agenda as he calls time at the Village Inn in Geraldine.
Gerard Zandbergen will pour his final drinks in Geraldine on Monday after 40 years in the hospitality industry.
“I’ll miss the banter with all the locals, you see them every day and everyone becomes like family,” the South Island hospitality veteran says.
Within South Canterbury, Zandbergen has been at The Bay Hill (named Zanzibar under his ownership), Zanders in Waimate, The Rustlers Rest in Tekapo, before finishing up at Geraldine’s Village Inn which he’s been owned for the past seven years. All of these places, he’s been accompanied by his wife, Michelle Johnson.
“Geraldine’s been good to us, it’s a good town,” Zandbergen said.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Gerard Zandbergen has sold the Village Inn at Geraldine.
Zandbergen said hospitality is “an industry you’ve got to do for a few years before you know if it’s for you”.
“It’s not the easiest industry.
“The biggest thing is most people don’t want to work weekends and nights and split shifts, you’ve got to really like it to do it.”
Zandbergen said one of the most important parts of owning or managing a hospitality venue was looking after your staff and treating them right.
He also has a simple solution for dealing with the drunks.
“You’re not allowed to serve them.”
Of all the South Canterbury spots, Zandbergen believed the view from The Bay Hill in Timaru was the best.
“There are not many places you can see palm trees, the sea and the snow on the mountains all in one spot.”
Zandbergen purchased the space, previously a Pateman’s lighting shop, in 1988, ran it with his wife until 2005. The Timaru Herald reported at the time that Zandbergen was offering a a $300 restaurant voucher to whoever came up with the winning name, before its opening.
But Zandbergen can’t remember what ended up happening.
“I think I came up with the name in the end.”
Zandbergen has also owned a bar in Wanaka and restaurant in Tekapo.
Zandbergen’s plans for the future involve “fishing, playing golf and looking after the grandchildren and doing some volunteer work”.
The Village Inn has been bought by a Geraldine local, who also owns The Crown Hotel in Temuka.
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