Sumner Street's Funky Hat Man Raises Eyebrows and Noise Levels
Wagner Place residents have lodged three noise complaints and one vibe complaint in a fortnight.
A Sumner man who recently moved into a Wagner Place rental is wearing a black pork-pie hat and wraparound sunglasses everywhere he goes. He insists he is launching a small-batch spice business. The street is not convinced.
The man, who introduced himself as Walter, told The Daily Yarn his operation was "strictly culinary". He said the extractor fan running at 2am was for "a paprika reduction". He declined to explain why a paprika reduction required goggles.
Next-door neighbour Pippa Connell, 44, said the whole street had clocked him within a week. "He stands on the deck staring at Scarborough Hill like it owes him money. Last Tuesday he wheeled a blue barrel in from the boot of a Pontiac. A Pontiac, in Sumner. Be serious."
A second resident, Marcus Tu'ifua from three doors down, tried to be neighbourly and brought over a lemon loaf. "He answered the door in a yellow apron and asked if I was DEA. I work for the council. I do consents."
A Christchurch City Council spokesperson confirmed no resource consent had been lodged for a commercial spice operation at the address. They noted the property was "earthquake-prone and possibly self-regulating". Police said they had no current interest in the resident but had "taken a note of the hat".
Walter was last seen Wednesday morning loading a chilly bin into a campervan with Arizona plates. He told a neighbour he was off to Tekapo "for the air". The extractor fan is still running.
Know someone this is about? Send it to them.
Spotted something like this in your area?
Send us a photo and a sentence. We'll write the article.
SUBMIT A YARN →Free. Anonymous if you want. Takes 60 seconds.
Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, if you saw someone in a funny hat, you just assumed they were in a band, not running a spice empire from their backyard! Everyone wants to think they're special now.
mike_devonport
I've seen a paprika reduction go wrong before. Alarms going off, people running around with goggles on, it's no joke mate! Maybe we should give Walter a bit of space until he works out the kinks.
vegan_mum_99
But why the goggles? There's something fishy here and it's not just his secret ingredient. And how can a fan be 'self-regulating'? Just code for dodgy if you ask me.
BarryBishopdale
@vegan_mum_99 it's health and safety! Health and safety gone mad. Goggles for sprinkling spices now, watch out.
couchgremlin
Lol one vibe complaint. Sumner keeps it spicy!
Pip_Ferrymead
Sumner always attracts the characters. It'll either be Walter the spice king or the next art installation. It's why we love it here.
stuck_in_lyttelton
What's odd about a chilly bin and Arizona plates? Half the people from Lyttelton have things in their garages no one can explain. Live a little.
Margaret_F
Reminds me of when Gerald tried to ferment beetroot in his greenhouse. That ended with a visit from the fire brigade. It was the goggles that tipped people off then, too.