Damage like war time, says caterer

As Marlborough people headed home after surviving the earthquake in Canterbury at the weekend, the ordeal continues for the friends and family they had to leave behind to rebuild homes and businesses.

In central Christchurch, Richard Loffhagen's cafe and catering business Simply Catering, which he has had for 25 years, lies in ruin.

Mr Loffhagen, who has family in Blenheim, said the roof and a lot of the brick facade had fallen through the veranda of the building on the corner of Salisbury and Madras streets. Inside, an oven fell to the floor and a filing cabinet had tipped on to computer equipment. In a downstairs room, the wall and ceiling no longer met each other, he said.

"I'm no building expert but I don't think it's a good thing."

The building was one of nearly 100 in the central business area damaged in the earthquake and there was a "war time atmosphere," Mr Loffhagen said.

With plans to find a commercial kitchen to continue catering and maybe to buy a coffee cart, Mr Loffhagen said he found out yesterday that he was not insured for business interruption,.

The worst part was not knowing if the damage was repairable quickly, or not at all, he said.

- The Marlborough Express

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