‘Rat Trap’ continues a lively trade

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 33

‘Rat Trap’ continues a lively trade

Officially, it is known as the Upper Takaka Hotel. But to residents of Nelson province. particularly those of Golden Bay. and to many thousands of visitors to Golden Bay over the years, it is still the “Rat Trap." The old two-storey hotel stands beside the only exit from the Takaka Valley, at the foot of the 24km winding road across the "Marble Mountain" and at the junction of the main road and the Cobb Valley road. It is the" last hostelry between Takaka and Riwaka and the first to greet travellers descending into the valley. For this reason alone, its popularity ranks high with tourists. But its popularity was never so high as in the late 1930 s and early 1940 s when upwards of 500 men were employed in constructing the Cobb hydro-electric dam and station in the Cobb Valley.

It was at this time that the hotel acquired its sobriquet — and qny man that worked on this project will testify to its relevance at that time.

Times‘were hard and living conditions were spartan for the men engaged in the hydro construction work. The huge' camp, well off the beaten track, had none of the amenities associated with similar operations today. Periodically, some of the men would travel through to

Upper Takaka on the supplytrucks. and would fail io return with them. Some would return the next day, others would be absent for a week or two weeks at a time. You would ask around the

camp: "Where's Bill Smith got to?” The answer would invariably he: “He got caugh l in the Rat Trap'." Later to combat the ever increasing absenteeism. it became necessary to send a truck to (he Upper Takaka Hotel to

bring in supplies of beer, which were rationed ai a canteen. The popularity of the hotel at this time could he gauged from the fact that no other hotel in the whole of the Nelson province could equal

the Upper Takaka Hotel's sale of bottled and draught beer. The hotel still does a lively trade hut. today its customers are mainly local farmers and travellers. The very hectic and lucrative

trading of the Cobb construction years, are no more. But they, the camp, and the excursions to the Upper Takaka Hotel, will be remembered while the "Rat Trap" continues to serve the public's thirsty needs.