Naseby’s Phil Flanagan has been building and renovating structures in Central Otago for years, and now he is nearing the end of one of his greatest projects of breathing new life into one of the town’s oldest buildings. 

Phil bought the old stables and general store building about two years ago, and saw it as ‘the ugly duckling’ of town. 

“Basically, a couple of years ago I bought it because, I don’t want to sound like a hero or anything, but it was such an eyesore I believed it needed to be sorted out. 

“It’s a commercial block of land, which is pretty much the only block left in a hot little town. 

“About 99 percent of people thought the only thing for it was to pull it down. 

“It would have been way easier to pull it down. 

“It wasn’t the easiest approach but it was probably the correct approach to do up the existing structure rather than pull it down.”

Phil, a builder who runs his own business called Phil’s Hut Designs (PHD), said the plan was to first restore the outside so it was no longer an eyesore. 

The stables at the rear of the building, before Phil Flanagan began the restoration work.

“I have started the restoration process, but the rest of the building needs a bit of work. 

“There was an existing living space which I extensively renovated, which was where the horse stalls used to be. 

“There was a dwelling, a general store and there was the stables at the back.

“My dwelling is sorted, very liveable with an internal courtyard, the exterior is sorted, and interior is underway. 

“I’m waiting to see what the need is for the space is before I do too much more.”

Phil’s dwelling is now within the stables, which took six truck loads to remove all the rubbish. 

He said he would ideally see the old general store space as something which others could benefit from. 

Phil cleaned out six truck loads of rubbish from the stables and built his dwelling within.

“The general store is next, which I would love to see it as a free movie theatre or something.

“I personally would love to give back to the community and would love to see the old general store as something like a movie theatre with old sofas or something.”

The two-year journey to get the building to where it is has been a long process, but Phil said it has been a labour of love. 

“I loved restoring it,” Phil said. “It’s been a part of Naseby streetscape for 150 years.

“It’s gone from an ugly duckling to what it deserves to be. 

“The fact it has the stables is a big thing personally for me.”

The front of the historic building as it is today. 

Naseby has become an iconic destination of the Maniototo and Central Otago, and the building in the centre of town now has a new life well into the future. 

“People show an interest, so it feels good to do the right thing by the building,” Phil said.

“I mean, it wasn’t the cheap option (to restore it), it was the correct option.

“It has a soul; it definitely has a soul. 

“I’m excited for the site, not just the building, I’m excited to potentially be part of enabling Naseby and its growing needs into the future. 

“I do think Naseby’s future is exciting.”

Photos courtesy Phil Flanagan/Phil’s Hut Designs.

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