Tenuous tenancy at shed

Cargo Shed tenants aren't hanging round to see what the new look operation under Creative Tauranga will be like, they are leaving.
Creative Tauranga has taken over management of the Dive Crescent Cargo Shed - and is about to turf tenants out for the second time in less than six months.

The shed closes on June 20 and reopens about six weeks later, in early August.
Seven permanent tenants who were asked to move for a shoe sale at the shed in late February have not returned. Up till then, the shed had about 20 permanent tenants, plus casual stall holders who used the shed some weekends.
'I've had them completely,” says stall holder Bill Usmar. 'Nine of the permanent blokes went a couple of months ago. They had to leave the place on a Friday for a shoe show.
None of the stall holders Bill spoke with plan to go back. He says Creative Tauranga's wish list for the shed includes a dance studio – there is already one over the road - and some outdoor stalls.
Creative Tauranga chief executive officer Tracey Rudduck could not be contacted for comment.
The Cargo Shed is operated by a charitable trust with Mary Dillon as chairperson; she was appointed in November 2008, shortly before she left the country for several months, returning in late February for the shoe sale.
Mary doesn't know how many stall holders were in the Cargo Shed before the shoe sale.
'When I spoke on Sunday with Creative Tauranga there were probably eight to 10,” she says.
The temporary closure is scheduled for the shed to be revamped and made more comfortable.
'It could not continue as it was,” says Mary. 'It was just not doing what it was supposed to. It was not set up to be a two-day a week operation.”
'There will be more closures in future and stall holders will have to be more flexible,” says Mary.
The trust has a licence to occupy the shed and pays rent to the owner, Tauranga City Council. In the future, Creative Tauranga will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the shed while the trust retains overall responsibility.

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