The Undie 500 car rally will go ahead this year -- in a northerly direction -- after a Marlborough couple agreed to host the event.
Organisers of the annual Canterbury University engineering society-run event were last year told they were no longer welcome in Dunedin after violent riots in previous years.
The rally, which previously involved students driving cheap cars from Christchurch to Dunedin and then partying, is headed north this year, after the engineering students' association approached people in Marlborough to find a concert site for the event.
Chris and Trish Redwood of Seddon, about 24km southeast of Blenheim, confirmed to The Marlborough Express today that they would host the event at their Seaview Road property.
The rally would take place on September 17-18.
Mrs Redwood said she did not expect a repeat of the chaotic scenes in Dunedin, where years past saw couches set alight and bottles thrown at police.
"I don't see how having a concert in a country venue would produce similar circumstances. The environment in Dunedin is unique -- it's a student ghetto. It's very cold, and they need to light fires."
Blenheim acting senior sergeant Tony Yardley said police did not think the event was a good idea and would speak with the Redwoods this week.
Last September, Dunedin police in riot gear faced off against up to 600 rioters in the city's Castle Street area, arresting more than 60 people.
A Seddon couple have agreed to host the controversial Undie 500 student car rally, saying a repeat of the violence seen in Dunedin is unlikely.
But Marlborough police, the mayor and the landowners' neighbour – vineyard and winery owner Peter Yealands – remain vehemently opposed to the event.
Chris and Trish Redwood, of Seaview Rd, confirmed that they were approached by the rally's organisers, the University of Canterbury's engineering society, and were happy to host the event at their property.
It is understood the rally will be held on September 17-18.
Organisers have been trying to find a place in the Marlborough or Kaikoura districts to hold the event, after being told they were no longer welcome in Dunedin, where the Undie 500 has been marred by violence and drunkenness over the past four years.
Organisers previously said they would hire a professional events company to run the event, and it is understood that they will apply to the Marlborough District Council for a liquor licence.
Engineering society president Michael Cook said yesterday that organisers had approached landowners in Seddon, but would not comment further.
Mr Cook previously said organisers did not want a repeat of what happened in Dunedin, and wanted to hold a concert and other events in a rural area of Marlborough so that students would not go into Blenheim itself.
Mrs Redwood said she did not think that what happened in Dunedin would be repeated in Marlborough, because the students would be removed from their normal student environment.
She said she was "shocked" by media reports of opposition to the event and surprised by the hostility towards it.
"We thought someone had to help the boys. I don't think any event here would resemble what happened in Dunedin.
"I don't see how having a concert in a country venue would produce similar circumstances. The environment in Dunedin is unique – it's a student ghetto. It's very cold, and they need to light fires."
Mrs Redwood said she would have no problem if the students set a couch on fire. "There's no fire ban here."
Mr Yealands earlier rejected approaches by Undie 500 organisers, and was today shocked to hear that the rally could be held next door.
"I just worry about anything that a normal property owner would worry about," he said. He feared that trees he had planted along the public road would be hit by cars. Ad Feedback
He was not sure what he would do if the event went ahead, saying the news first had to "sink in".
"I'm disappointed to hear it, and I dare say at some point I'll be given the opportunity to have some say."
Acting Senior Sergeant Tony Yardley, of Blenheim, said police would speak with the Redwoods this week.
"Our stance hasn't changed from what it was all the way through. We're not happy with it, we don't think it's a good idea."
Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman said he had learned nothing about the event that would change his opposition to it.
By Maike van der Heide and Simon Wong - The Marlborough Express
Last updated 13:57 30/06/2010
Seaview Road, Marlborough
Opinion poll
Do you think it is a good idea to have the Undie 500 at Seaview?
The miserable weather has even affected your Subway sandwich as a nationwide shortage forces the fast-food chain to ration its cucumbers.
A sign at Blenheim Subway this morning read: "Due to critical supplies of cucumber we need to reduce the use of cucumber for some time."
Subway management has told stores nationwide to use less cucumber until supplies are restored.
Six-inch subs will now get two slices of cucumber instead of three, and foot-longs will get four instead of six.
Subway marketing manager David Herrick said there was a seasonal shortage of New Zealand-grown cucumbers because of cold growing conditions, which led Subway to look at sourcing them from Australia.
"But what's happened in Australia is that all the growing fields there were hit by serious flooding a couple of months ago. Therefore they can't supply us," said Mr Herrick.
Fresh Choice Springlands produce manager Kris North said most of the cucumbers were grown in glasshouses and the lack of sun had stopped the vegetables from growing.
"The country's been pretty short of sunlight lately making (vegetables) very expensive – if you can get them."
Mr North said Fresh Choice Springlands had "some cucumbers" but at $4.99 each they were more expensive than the usual seasonal average of $2.99.
There was only a half chance that daily vegetable orders would arrive because of the small supply, he said.
This was the worst year for vegetable supply in the seven years that he had worked with produce.
The last Marlborough commercial cucumber grower, Paul Kinzett, said he no longer grew the vegetable because it was too difficult to make money out of it.
"If I charged people what the cucumbers were worth they wouldn't pay it," he said.
New Zealand was moving towards buying all its fruit and vegetables from overseas, he said.
Ultimate Pot Plants, Candle Jars and Oodles of Noodles were just some of the businesses children at Blenheim School created for their second market day yesterday.
The children spent the term creating their product ideas and businesses from scratch and even designed their own currency – the "Buckeroo".
Blenheim School principal Dina Ahradsen said the market day was a practical way of teachingthe children life skills they would need, such as budgeting and saving.
Blenheim School Board of Trustees chairwoman Kim Crouch said it taught the children "the economics of everyday life".
"It's absolutely marvellous," she said.
"It gets the community involved and the parents involved too. The children learn where products start and where they end up."
Co-owner of Tye Dye World Bridget Stanley, 10, said business had been booming.
The business had sold all of its T-shirts, which had taken about 20 minutes each to make.
Bridget said she liked the idea of the market day because it was "something different" and the skills she learned would be useful when she got older.
The children used profits and wages from their business to buy products from other businesses.
Protocol included the children signing employment contracts "at a children's level, of course", said Mrs Ahradsen.
Mother Marlene Stratford said the day helped prepare the children for future careers and taught them to work for their money.
By SIMON WONG - The Marlborough Express
Last updated 12:00 30/06/2010
SCOTT HAMMOND/Marlborough Express
BUDDING ENTREPRENEUR: Origin Seymour, 5, holds the product he was selling at Blenheim School's market day and the currency the children created called the 'Buckeroo'.
A 17-year-old youth charged with killing a seal in Kaikoura has entered no plea in the Blenheim District Court.
Hayden John Ingram, from Kaikoura, is charged with killing a seal without authority, possessing a paintball gun and driving with sustained loss of traction.
Kaikoura police said they believed Ingram drove over the seal and did burnouts on the road and a grassed area by the seal colony at Point Keen on June 18.
Ingram will reappear in the Kaikoura District Court on July 16.
Mayfield School was a hive of activity over the weekend as the Salvation Army and volunteers blitzed through the school's to-do list in a one-day working bee.
Despite the dodgy weather, gardens were neatly edged and weeds pulled out, the edible garden was expanded and the playground was given a spruce-up.
The working bee at the decile-two school coincided with the visit of officers in training from Wellington and their families, who were also put to work, and the Blenheim South Rotary Club. Westmeats donated supplies and lunch.
Blenheim Salvation Army member Frank Zydenbos, pictured, was joking with fellow workers as he worked on the vegetable garden and said he was having a great time.
"It's good to put something back into the local community."
The Marlborough Express Last updated 13:00 28/06/201
Mistakenly filling a stolen car with diesel instead of petrol led to the arrest of a Blenheim man yesterday.
Constable Michelle Stagg, of Blenheim, said the man broke into Annies Cafe and Shop in Grovetown and stole food and a car about 11.30pm on Saturday.
About 3am yesterday the car broke down on Shirtliff St after the man filled it with diesel, which Miss Stagg said he also stole, instead of petrol.
Police tracked down the man a short time later.
A 19-year-old man will appear in Blenheim District Court today charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon, theft, burglary and driving while forbidden.
