Makaraka Tavern owner thankful no one was hurt after car crashes into building

A Gisborne business owner feels “blessed” that no one was seriously injured after a car crashed into the side of the building.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene and now faces charges in court.

A police spokesperson said police responded to reports of an accident on Main Rd in Makaraka on December 29.

There were no serious injuries and the driver was arrested.

The driver is due to reappear at Gisborne District Court on January 22, facing charges of careless driving and without a valid licence.

The owner of Roseland Tavern, who asked not to be identified for privacy reasons, said he was not there when the incident occurred, having left 10 to 15 minutes earlier.

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“When we got there, almost everyone was gone. The police had already detained the driver,” said the owner.

He said security footage from nearby businesses showed the driver losing control of the vehicle, leaving skid marks on the road before crashing into the front of the building.

The tavern owner said the building owner was handling the repairs and since it was holiday time, he wasn’t sure what the cost would be.

“There was a lot of damage, but we have a temporary solution and for now it is safe,” he said.

“For us it was quite shocking and just frustrating, because we had only just taken over the business in November last year.”

He said it was very fortunate that no one was injured in the incident, as customers often sat near the affected part of the building.

“We were lucky that none of the customers were there.”