While the establishment of wineries in Martinborough decades ago heralded the first wave of visitors, people were now being pulled in by the allure of a country lifestyle. Many houses in the town were owned by Wellingtonians, used as boltholes away from the capital, but demand was driving prices and squeezing lower income residents out of the market.
PIERS FULLER/Stuff
South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen says his district needs more than just an ATM to serve its residents. Conor Kershaw owns the Four Square supermarket and Mitre 10 hardware store and said many of his 70-odd staff faced an uphill battle finding housing.