Expansion for family business -Peninsula Marquee and Party Hire
There’s a feeling of excitement in the Peninsula Marquee and Party Hire team (PMPH) with summer coming, but also with their recent business restructuring announcement. Richard and Helen Oram, who own Peninsula Party Hire, have recently announced their 50/50 partnership deal with daughter Terri and her fiancé, Jarred. This is not a surprise to anyone in the Oram family as Jarred has already been working for PPH for almost five years and their other daughter, Mischa, has been working in the business for six years. Together, this family team will operate PMPH from Richard and Helen’s home, a lifestyle block on Mill Creek Road, with beautiful landscaping, extensive storage additions and hire facilities. This oasis is on the outskirts of Whitianga. Terri and Jarred are a dynamic young couple. Terri co-owns the very successful PhysioFirst in Whitianga…and Jarred has now earned the opportunity to drive his ambition to own and operate a successful business on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Richard and Helen have owned PMPH since 2016. It was first established in 2001 by Brian and Chris Bowering and has grown consistently over the years.
Richard and Helen did not have Peninsula Party Hire in mind when they came to Mill Creek Road many years ago. “When we first got here, it was just a large, undeveloped block of land - a muddy mess. We had six kids in tow, so it was about lifestyle choice for us. I come from a project management and business development background, and I started to see a vision of what could be done here. It was after this that we saw the Peninsula Party Hire business for sale. Things became clear - buy the business and move it here to Mill Creek Road -we were ready to go,” says Richard.
“We moved an old villa from Hamilton onto the property and then commenced to build the storage and develop this whole area as a place for people to have their event if they chose to.”
Jarred and Terri are looking to grow the business as opportunities arise, building on the current business model and extending the range of marquees and furniture. “We see the wedding industry as being huge for this area,” says Jarred.
In 2017, Richard and Helen added Stretch Tents franchise to the business hire menu and Hampton Marquees were introduced to their range in 2020. “These are very popular, premium, New Zealand made marquees and there are also the Electron and Clipframe marquees which have proved timeless and remain in demand for weddings and smaller events.
“Our marquees are consistently upgraded to meet the highest standards for weddings,” says Richard. “Weddings and celebrations are our prime focus accounting for 90% of our turnover. We keep in touch with trends and have another container load of new style furniture arriving mid-November.”
“Being in a holiday region, with a big influx of visitors in the summer, we are very much a seasonal business - November through to April with the January to March stretch, outrageously busy. For the local major events, PMPH is the ‘Go to one stop shop,’” smiles Jarred.
When you look at their showroom, Peninsula Party Hire stocks pretty much everything that could be required for weddings and celebrations. As well as the wide range of marquees, there is lighting (outdoor and indoor), special party lighting, tables, chairs, lounge furniture, PA systems and music systems, arches, wine barrels, lawn games, market umbrellas, glassware, crockery and cutlery…and that’s not the full list.
Their excellent services include the Oceans Festival, Whitianga Summer Concert, Coro Classic Music Festival and the Kubota Billfish Classic fishing competition. The events they provide for can be as far north as the tip of Coromandel Peninsula and south to the Bombays. PMPH also does forays as far as South Auckland and Taupo. PMPH is very mobile and can ‘do’ events just about anywhere especially in the shoulder season.
We are expecting a strong season this summer,” says Richard. “Though the road closure of SH 25A has seen a drop in bookings pre-Christmas, the bookings for January to April are strong. Last summer was particularly busy – a ‘bounce-back’ from Covid (pent up demand for couples to finally get married!). The weather was challenging; however we are very confident in our marquees’ ability to weather most storms. We manage all weathers. and our experienced team deliver on-time in all conditions.
“We only had a few postponements in that cyclone season. That bad weather really meant putting up more marquees. People are very committed to getting married no matter what the weather,” says Jarred. “We even did events which were not booked but at the last-minute other companies could not make it to the venue. We were able to be mobile despite the storms and slips.”
PMPH doesn’t only provide what you need to hire for a wedding or special celebration; they also provide their lifestyle block as a venue, especially for marquee weddings.
Welcome to Mill Creek Cottage and Wedding Venue. The marquee site lies alongside a beautiful pond and landscaped gardens –you couldn’t ask for a better marquee wedding. The boutique cottage and cabin are perfect for pre-wedding preparations and post-wedding ‘recovery’! This beautiful location is also ideal for a family milestone celebration such as a wedding anniversary or special decade birthday.
Jarred adds, “Lots of retirees are moving to Whitianga, and we are thinking this is a perfect place to host a wedding for your children and grandchildren. We want everyone to know we exist and where we are.”
“Jarred pretty much runs all of this now,” says Richard, “I am just the support act, and it feels good.”
The Informer was curious as to when and where Jarred and his fiancé and part business owner, Terri, would be married.
There was an exchange of grins and Jarred says, “We are not getting married at our Mill Creek venue but instead at Hot Water Beach, but all the marquees, tables, chairs, decorations, cutlery and decorations complete with archway will come from PMPH.”
Give Jarred a call. He is happy to come visit you on your site, or if you prefer you are most welcome to visit us by appointment. To conclude, PMPH has a reputation for supporting local community organisations, discounting their fundraising event costs.
For more information and to contact Jarred or Richard, go to www.peninsulapartyhire.co.nz, email
info@peninsulapartyhire or
phone: Jarred Fielden - 021 0264 5799 or Richard Oram - 027 263 7246
Caption: The hardworking team at PMPH.