Robbies Lane

In 2013 the bar and cafe "Rig 66" was located on the south-eastern corner of Eliot St and Devon St East in the distinctive East End Buildings.

For more than 40 years, however, it had been a drapery shop run by the Roberts family, first by Neilson [Neil] and then by his son Ashleigh [Ash]. Given this lengthy history in one location, it's probably no surprise that locally it became known as "Robbie's Corner".

Neil Roberts was born in Scotland and immigrated to New Zealand in 1912, settling first in Christchurch. He moved to Taranaki shortly after World War One, working for the "Economic Drapers" in Devon Street, before opening his own store in the East End Buildings. Despite his welcoming nature, Robbie's customers were not always that welcome. On New Year's Eve 1941 a local truck driver unwittingly released a spare tyre that crashed through the shop window. Fortunately a Mr Varcoe noticed the incident and alerted the driver, who reclaimed the wheel and probably paid for the damage.

As well as being a well-known businessman, Mr Roberts was involved in local bowls and was a member of the Philharmonic Society. He died on 21 April 1956, aged 67, and was survived by his wife Nina, daughter Janice Perry, and son Ash.

Ash, who may already have been working for his father, spent the next 20 years running the shop called, quite appropriately, "Robbie's Corner Drapery Ltd". After leaving the business Ash Roberts became a prominent real estate agent. Like his father he took an interest in bowls and in the 1950s played representative tennis for both Taranaki and Canterbury. He died on 31 May 1990, aged 61.

In 1980 a service lane running from Eliot St to Courtenay St was named after the business in recognition of its long-standing connection to the locality.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

* A recently discovered newspaper article, published in 1980, records that the first name suggested for this service lane was "Cops Lane" due to the nearby Ministry of Transport office. Perhaps unsurprisingly this was rejected by works and transport committee in favour of Union Lane. In the end however the committee chose Robbies Lane. (7 August 2025)