Haenertsburg: New village eateries
An addition of two small restaurants have opened their doors in Rissik Street in Haenertsburg this year, with Glynis Geere opening one at the Pennefather complex.
HAENERTSBURG – The 36-seater restaurant has been named Once Upon a Thyme. Glynis recently retired from the privately-owned sawmill, Stevens Lumber Mills, where she held a top position and worked for 41 years. During her career at the mill, Glynis formed a catering company, Gals, and organised fundraisers for the village hall as well as cooked for many functions. All restaurant prepping is done at the family home outside the village. All ingredients are fresh, nothing is frozen and everything is home baked. Once Upon a Thyme is open from 09:00 to 16:00 from Wednesdays to Sundays.
The other restaurant, Something Different, owned by Bev and Charlie Hartman, is in the nearby Greenwoods complex. Bev and Charlie, from Phalaborwa, with business and property interests still there, fell in love with the Haenertsburg area and have had a cottage on the outskirts of the village for the past three years.
The Hartman couple rent out the entire Greenwoods which consists of a lawyer’s office, a deli, a gift shop and office space. Bev and Charlie met at the Phalaborwa SPCA some seven years ago where Charlie was a Chairperson and Bev a secretary. Both were divorced, and when they married, they gained five children and seven grandchildren between them. Bev matriculated in Phalaborwa and stayed there when she married and had children.
Charlie studied architecture at the University of Cape Town and became a trapeze artist in the circus for a number of years. He then moved to London, UK to set up an architectural practice. His brother had a restaurant called the Mediterranean in Poole in Dorset and Charlie took over the restaurant on weekends. After 25 years of living in London, Charlie returned to South Africa and opened up his air conditioning business in Phalaborwa. Something Different, which seats 22 people, is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00.
Another project is to find a solution to the feral cat problem in the village. It has been increasing alarmingly with three recntly born litters. Bev and Charlie will coordinate all the necessary steps to stem the feral cat population growth. This will involve raising money to neuter and vaccinate the felines as well as buy food for the animals. The community is asked to support this as the feral cat population is now well and truly out of control.
sue.ettmayr@gmail.com
