8 facts you may not know about Hastings.

When you think of Hastings you might think of many things - hanging flower pots, great coffee, roundabouts, shopping, the train track, the Art Deco architecture. 

Hastings is reliably consistent, and yet surprisingly surprising. 

The truth is however, you probably don't think too in depth about this amazing city that we are all so lucky to work, live and play in - and we are here to change that.

So ready or not, here are 8 facts you may or may not know about Hastings - if you have any others, please let us know!!

1 - There is some debate as to who our "Father" is

Hastings was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to establishing itself as a township, with a metaphorical "birth date" of 1873 - almost 20 years after Napier in 1855, simply proving the age-old adage - good things come to those who wait.

And like all interesting origin stories there is some debate about who exactly was responsible for the "birth" of Hastings. 

Was it entrepreneur Thomas Tanner, who effectively undertook the first real estate development deal of the city, or was it William Hicks, who having brought one of the blocks of land in 1873 from Tanner, then had the foresight to first open our first general store (which was located on the corner of Karamu Rd and Heretaunga St) and then strategically "gift" some of his land to the railways, knowing full well that the township would sprout up around it.

You can read this story from Bay Buzz and make up your own mind.

2 - Our sunshine hours are elite

In Hastings we aren't afraid of a bit of Vitamin D. We are masters of the slip, slop, slap and wrap and we have the healthy tans to prove it.

According to Hastings District Council, Hastings generally sees upwards of 2,200 hours of sunshine each year, which according to Figure.NZ puts us at a strong 5th place for sunshine hours in the entire country - behind Blenheim, Nelson, Lake Tekapo & Tauranga.

3 - We love a good parade

Our beloved Blossom Parade was first held over 70 years ago, in 1950 - and it continues to be a popular annual event in the Hastings social calendar.

Two facts you may not know about the Blossom Parade however is that in 1957 organisers added a "Blossom Queen" contest, where contestants vying for the title had to be aged between 18 and 28, unmarried and, among other things, possess "poise, personality, charm, beauty of face and figure, education, voice quality, speaking ability and be in good health." The competition famously did not include a swimsuit portion - because we are classy like that.

You also might be surprised to know that at the height of the Blossom festivals in the 1950s, about 60,000 people crammed the streets of Hastings to view the decorated paper crépe floats. The event was so popular that in 1960 a "riot" occurred simply because the parade was called off for bad weather, proving that we absolutely love a parade.

4 - Our businesses age like a fine wine

There aren't many towns that can boast businesses still thriving after 100 years, but obviously Hastings businesses are a cut above.

We have not one, but TWO businesses still operating that are over 100 years old - FL Bone and Holly Bacon.
In 1914 Carl Vogtherr opened a delicatessen on Heretaunga Street, before moving to its current location in 1962. A true family business, Holly Bacon is now run by Carl’s great granddaughter, Claire, showing that you can mix family and business. Very successfully.

F.L Bone however, is the grandfather of Hastings businesses, with a history in Hastings stretching back to 1885. While they may have had a few name changes along the way, FL Bone is proud to have been exclusive importers of premium brands for 140 years, and so they should be!

Coming up on the heels of these two stalwarts of the Hastings business community we also are proud to have Grieve Diamond Jewellers who are in their 91st year of business, and Thomson's Suits celebrating 66 years young.

Keeping a business open for a decade is not easy, let alone a century - and we tip our metaphorical hat to the incredible work undertaken by each of these businesses.

5 - Farmers used to be the best restaurant in Hastings

While these days we are used to visiting Farmers to pick up everyday items, after the earthquake rebuild in the 1930’s it was THE place to go for fine-dining, silver-service hospitality. 

The Farmers Co-Op building offered shopping on the ground floor with tea-rooms and club-rooms for “country women” on the first floor. It was a fabulous, oak panelled lounge that was always busy, advertising itself as a “quiet and restful place to catch up with your friends”.

The tea rooms were in operation until the 1980s, and fondly remembered by everyone who visited.

6 - We are pretty

In 2020 Hastings won the Most Beautiful Large Town and Supreme Winner Most Beautiful Towns & Cities, which was followed up in 2021 when we also were crowned the Most Beautiful Small City Award at the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards.

We are not sure what we did to graduate from "Large Town" to "Small City" in one year - but we'll take it!

The Beautiful Awards are the country’s longest-running sustainability awards and provide a benchmark for environmental excellence. Judges acknowledge the passion of the Hastings community’s environmental protection, beautification, and sustainability efforts.

We are so much more than our hanging baskets afterall!

7 - We have a long lost sister in Guilin, China

In 1981 Hastings was formally introduced to her sister city - Guilin in China. 

Considered one of the most beautiful cities in China, the province is very popular with tourists who enjoy cycling, rock-climbing and bamboo rafting, while still wanting access to the finer things in life: fine restaurants, cafes and bars, excellent shopping and quality hotels.

Clearly - we have a lot in common. We are sisters afterall.

Since our introductions we have gone on to have many cultural exchange visits, the sharing of important milestones, and opportunities for educational and trade initiatives.

8 - We are the epicentre of meatballs in New Zealand

You can always tell who was born and raised in Hastings by their love of a meatball. Surprisingly unique to Hawke’s Bay (particularly Hastings), the mighty meatball was introduced to our hearts and bellies, from a bakery called Lilac Bakery on Heretaunga Street in the 70’s.

Owned by Europeans, the meatball was their take on the Dutch bitterballen and flew off the shelves from the get go.

In the 50 years since, meatballs have firmly entrenched themselves into the Hastings history books, and are now available at a number of amazing bakeries such as Shaneo’s, BJ’s Bakery and John’s Bakery.

They are a quintessential part of life as a Ha’stinger - and if you haven’t treated yourself to one lately, take this as your sign to get one in your gob immediately.