COME ONE, COME ALL: Liam O'Hara at the new Paddy’s Hotel. Its grounds will be used for a new Tent Town during the V8 races.
COMMUNITY clubs looking to boost their revenue are being invited to be part of a new business venture, Tent Town, kicking off in Bathurst for the V8 races.
Tent Town is a mobile tent business that has a DA approved by Bathurst Regional Council to be assembled six weeks in every year when demand necessitates.
Its owner, Peter Crew, has just invested in the purchase of 250 free-standing tents, which will be erected in the grounds of Paddy’s Hotel (the Old St Pat’s Sporting Club) over the race weekend and will accommodate more than of 750 people.
Mr Crew is now keen to hear from sporting clubs or community groups keen to earn some cash for their club by volunteering for jobs such as assemble and disassemble tents, park cars, hostess work, manning the site and general tidy up afterwards.
As this is a new venture Mr Crew said expected funds were uncertain, but said payments would be split fairly and reasonably for jobs undertaken.
All payments will be made as a club donation.
Mr Crew says it is a fact all sporting clubs or community groups need money for their survival.
“Local sporting clubs and community groups have suffered for, say, the past 10 years since they were basically all booted off the Mount during race week,” he said.
Mr Crew said he had heard from four different sporting and service clubs that, last year, some people spent four days at the Mount voluntarily parking cars and only got paid $1500 for their club, which he said was neither fair or right.
“You could say that I have had enough so I decided to do something about it,” he said.
What he’s done is purchase the tents, which are on their way to Bathurst, with the aim of establishing the business in time for this year’s V8 races.
“I am racing against the clock to have all done by race week but the aim is for the inaugural event to happen,” he said.
While Mr Crew said he would make a return on his investment, he wanted to utilise sporting and community clubs for their benefit over the race weekend.
He says Tent Town is not here to take money away from existing businesses, but rather capture and harness the excess when a major sport event or festivity comes to town and accommodation is at a premium.
“Tent Town has an approved DA from council where, for six weeks of the year, we could assemble the tents when necessary, when required – this will be occurring at the grounds of Paddy’s (the old St Pat’s Sporting Club),” he said.
“Should any event or festivity (sporting or otherwise) come to town and accommodation is required then bingo.”
Mr Crew said Tent Town will operate as a one-man business and rely on the efforts of sporting clubs and community groups who keep the profits.
“The V8 event will be run by myself and used as ‘a learning curve’. Tent Town will be used in other towns where the concept has been approved and ready to happen,” he said.
Mr Crew invited any sporting or community club who wants to be involved to contact him on 0428 378 088.