THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 25 #08 Tuesday, July 27, 2010 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 21,000 copies every week
L I S B E T H S A L A N D E R A P P R E C I AT I O N S O C I E T Y
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Family and friends say farewell to Ben Donohoe
Surfing friends of Ben Donohoe form a circle at sea after the traditional paddleout at Broken Head last Friday. More photos in the Echo Stuff section of www.offmyfacebook.com.au. Photo Jeff Dawson. Later in the day, family and friends gather around Ben’s colourfully illustrated coffin. Photo Victoria Cosford Victoria Cosford
Hundreds braved the damp weather to attend the funeral of Byron Bay identity Ben Donohoe. Ben, 20, died following a single vehicle crash at Byron Bay recently. He was an avid surfer and rugby league player and so it was fitting that the funeral took place at Red Devil
Park, home to the local team. There had been a paddle-out at Broken Head earlier that morning which had crowds lining the cliff-tops. On the oval, an enormous red marquee had been erected with Ben’s brightly festooned coffin up the front, adorned with paintings, poems and messages such as ‘When you were here the fun was never ending.’
Before the service two young guitarists played to the crowd; following it, members of Ben’s family and friends stood up to share some of their memories. Older brother Tom said that one of the things which got him through the devastation of Ben’s death was ‘the support my family has received from the community of Byron Bay.’
Mullum’s rumour mill at full speed as petrol merchant prepares to turn off pumps Eve Jeffery
The rumour mill is alive and well in Mullumbimby as the advent of Woolworths sees the fors and against jostle for positions of superiority. With all the media hullabaloo it is sometimes easy to forget there are real actual people affected by the arrival of the supermarket giant. One of those people is Peter Frazier of Main Arm Fuel and Mechanical. Peter has been selling fuel to local residents and businesses for the last 15 years, but at the end of the month, he will let his pumps run dry.
‘There is no profit in fuel,’ says Pete. ‘There has been no profit for a long time. I sell fuel for the convenience of my customers. When Woolies opens, they will start their shopper dockets and once the big boys come in, the small ones will go. Elizabeth Reedy from the BP in Dalley Street says that there will be no changes to her operation and it will be business as usual and though the grapevine says otherwise, there will be no changes at Tony Carsburg in Argyle Street either. Tony agrees with the other petrol merchants in town about the prof-
itability of the commodity. ‘Selling petrol is the fastest way to the poorhouse,’ he says. ‘You pay up front for fuel and if one large customer doesn’t pay on time, then you are in trouble. The margin is just too low and it’s not worth it.’ Tony says that he has heard the rumours circulating about his business, but he has no affiliation with Woolworths. ‘I have had one newspaper ring me and tell me that I had already sold to Woolies! I haven’t been approached to redeem dockets and I am not selling, I will sign my name in blood on that.’
Mr Carsburg says that Woolworths already have a purpose built fuel facility in Byron Bay and he can’t see why they would need to have someone locally to provide discount fuel for dockets. ‘We are a motor dealership. We will always have petrol because we need to fuel our own vehicles – I would need to employ someone just to take cars and fill them otherwise and we will continue to service our customers.’ As Peter Frazier winds down that side of his operation, he says he appreciates the loyalty of his long term customers and they appreciate that he
has simply been providing fuel for the sake of service and not a profit making venture. ‘I have been selling for 15 years and the owner before that [local identity Pat Quinn] sold fuel for 28 years. My customers have been very understanding. ‘I will buy no more fuel after the end of the month, then I will stop selling once the tanks run dry. We are still open for business. We won’t be closing our doors as some have suggested, we will just be concentrating on the mechanical side of the business from now on.’
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