- Patsy Bass is selling a historic Reefton bank to spend more time with her grandchildren.
- Bass shelved plans to turn the 1912s building into a cellar door or luxury apartments.
- She seeks a buyer with the vision and means to restore the bank for community benefit.
A West Coast gin magnate has shelved her plans to turn a derelict historic bank into a cellar door for her booming distillery business so she can spend more time with her grandchildren.
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Reefton Distillery Company founder and chief executive Patsy Bass told OneRoof that she adored the former National Bank building on Broadway, but it was time to sell it.
“I know a few people think we are selling because we’ve realised it’s too big or too expensive. It’s not that at all. I turned 60 last year, and the distillery is still a massive time commitment. I would love to restore it [but] we want to be with our grandchildren."
Reefton Distillery Company founders Patsy Bass and Shane Thrower. Photo / New Zealand Herald
Bass fell in love with the iconic building the moment she saw the sweeping Gone with the Wind-style staircase inside. The building closed its doors as a bank in the mid-1970s and had cycled through several owners since. It was in a bad way, but Bass and her husband, Shane Thrower, saw potential.
“There was barely any uncovered floor – there was just stuff everywhere, but that staircase just completely took my breath away, and I thought, 'I have to own this building and see it restored.' You feel like Scarlett O’Hara going up and down there. It’s just gorgeous – that’s why we bought the building.”
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The couple initially planned to turn the building into a cocktail bar, an extension of the distillery. They later came up with the ambitious idea of turning it into six apartments to fill the accommodation shortage in the goldmining town.
“There’s such a desperate shortage of accommodation in Reefton for both mine workers and tourists that we thought it would be beautiful as luxury apartments. There’s not a lot of high-end accommodation in Reefton – it’s all a bit older,” Bass told OneRoof.
“It’s got the best views in town. Upstairs, the views of Paparoa Ranges and surrounding hills are just breathtaking.”
They started drawing up plans and doing some cosmetic repairs, but the arrival of their first grandchild, in Christchurch, gave them pause. For the last three years, they have been flitting between both locations, staying in an apartment they set up on the ground floor of the bank when they were in Reefton.
The bank's original spiral staircase took Bass's breath away. Photo / Supplied
The large safe dates back to 1910 when the bank building was built. Photo / Supplied
Bass is a fierce advocate for her hometown and won’t sell the building to just anyone. She wants a buyer who has the money, network, and vision "to turn it into something beautiful, so it will last another 100 years.”
The sprawling property, which still has many original features, including the concrete safe and large steel security doors, could potentially be turned into a luxury family home, apartments, or commercial premises.
The property is being sold "as is where is" with structural and Geotech engineering reports available to the successful purchaser.
Property Brokers agent Linda Jones said the building meant a lot to people in the town. Back in the 19th century, residents had been pressing National Bank to open a branch but it refused until BNZ opened across the road in the 1870s. Within days, National Bank set up a branch. The current two-storey building was built on the spot in 1912 and became the bank's new home.
"It's got a very good presence in the town."
Jones told OneRoof Reefton was the Arrowtown of the West Coast because of its historic buildings, and hoped someone with some money could restore the building to its former glory.
- 28 Broadway, in Reefton, Buller, is for sale by negotiation
