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Nelson Mail article 

25/2/2016

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PictureMARION VAN DIJK Former Roadhogs owner Troy Warring, left, with YikesNelson co-ordinator Tania O'Meagher after giving her the mini golf business for free.
Over the last two years, Troy Warring developed a successful business from scratch. He's just given it away - for free, and with no strings attached.
The recipient, chosen from around one hundred applicants, is Nelson woman Tania O'Meagher. She runs an after school and holiday care programme for 5-14 year olds called Youth and Kids Engaged in Enterprising Skills (Yikes). It operates out of three schools in the local community, gets children involved with activities as diverse as sports, baking, computer coding and dance.
The organisation also encourages young entrepreneurs with a children's market each Friday. 






Warring spent almost a year refining the concept of Roadhogs, a themed indoor mini-golf course in Nelson. He then opened the business in December 2014. It's been operating on Selwyn St successfully ever since. But Warring found Roadhogs was impacting on his family life and keeping him away from his wife, so he decided it was time to move on.
READ MORE:
* Minigolf owner to give away business for free
* Roadhogs owner inundated with offers for 'free' business giveaway

Instead of putting the business up for sale, Warring and his wife Joanne Peachey decided to do something a bit different and give it away for free.
"It started off with a Facebook post thinking that someone who's been in might like to take us up on our offer, and then it snowballed from there."
The responses came in from all over the country. However, Warring wasn't prepared to give Roadhogs to just anyone. He wanted to see it stay within the community.
"It was always, in our minds, going to go to a local person. They had to come up with a business idea or a direction, or a damn good reason why they should be the recipient."
O'Meagher could see the potential of Roadhogs, and thought that it could complement what she was already doing within the community.
"I thought that it could really flow well with what we do already."
For her pitch, O'Meagher emphasised a philosophy that would see "community approach and reach, beyond the business model". She identified opportunities in youth development, work-skills training, former refugee support, enterprise and charity. 
It was this strong community focus which convinced Warring that O'Meagher was the right person to inherit his business.
When it came time to hand the keys over, Warring was surprised at how difficult he found the experience. 
"It was very strange, I thought I'd be a lot more unemotional about it."
He is convinced that it was the right thing to do, and that O'Meagher was the right choice, saying "her support of the youth network in Nelson is incredible".
O'Meagher stressed that while Roadhogs complemented her programme, it as going to maintain its own identity. She also realised that it was going to take some hard work and a few changes to make sure the business continues to grow and flourish.
"We want to add new dynamics - we're opening longer hours, we've changed the pricing, and we want to add some other elements in."

View online at Nelson Mail

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The Keys have been handed over - Roadhogs Vision Moves Forward

21/2/2016

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The labour of love that has gone into building Roadhogs will continue with new owners Brett and Tania. "We'll carry on the heart and soul of what Troy and Jo have pioneered"
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