Donna Demente has run the beloved Grainstore Gallery on Harbour St in Oamaru’s Historic Precinct for over two decades. Now, she feels that the actions of the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust (OWCT) are pushing her towards closure.
Demente expressed frustration that the future of her gallery, a popular venue for musical events, is in jeopardy. She shared, “I’m upset. I don’t see a way to continue here. I can’t afford the rent as it is, let alone with such a drastic increase. My income hasn’t gone up, it will actually decrease because of this.”
After dedicating 24 years to running the gallery and participating in various fundraising efforts to promote the area, Demente emphasized that her intention was never solely about being a retailer. She explained, “I wanted to be an artist and bring more vibrancy and creativity to the community, making it a lively place that people would enjoy visiting.”
She expressed her dismay at the proposed rent hike from $100 to over $400 per week for the 120sq metre gallery space and additional mezzanine spaces. Demente found this increase unsustainable.
When Demente raised concerns about the trust’s decision to place other artists near her business, which had a negative impact on foot traffic, she was met with a blunt response of “tough titties” from Trust chair Richard Vinbrux.
Vinbrux defended the trust’s actions, stating, “The issue is how much space Donna really needs. The other artists have much smaller spaces downstairs, as no one could afford such a large street-level space. I’m talking about fairness here.”
He mentioned that their agreement with Demente had not been reviewed in over two decades and that they believed the rent increase was a fair offer, significantly below market value even with the projected increases.
While acknowledging Demente’s significant contribution to establishing the Historic Precinct, Vinbrux highlighted that the trust’s primary focus is not to support artists financially.
Waitaki District mayor Melanie Tavendale recognized Demente’s cultural impact but emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue between the artist and her landlord. She noted the council’s limited involvement in individual lease negotiations.
The council charges the trust a ground rent of $51,500 annually for titles, with the next review scheduled for 2030. Council director Joanne O’Neill explained that commercial properties in the Oamaru CBD, including those in the Heritage Precinct, follow the same rate calculation model.
The council confirmed that the trust’s current payment has remained constant since 2023, unaffected by inflation, until the next review in 2030.
