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It’s heartbreak hotel
• Marnie Johnston
• 21st Mar 2013 6:00 AM
DISAPPOINTED: Barry Reynolds, owner of the Clydesdale Motel in Casino, is not happy about Metgasco pulling out of the Northern Rivers. Doug Eaton
NOT everyone is happy about the suspension of Metgasco's operations in the Clarence-Moreton basin.
Owner and manager of Casino's Clydesdale Motel and Steak Barn, Barry Reynolds, said his business had already been hit by the gas exploration suspension.
Mr Reynolds said before Metgasco's withdrawal from the region, he'd had three to six people related to the CSG industry staying at his motel each week.
In fact, because of the expected influx of people to the region due to the new CSG industry in Casino, he'd been planning to add eight rooms to the 15-room complex.
After having plans drawn up and prices estimated, he's now "for sure" scrapped those plans, he said.
Even in this first week after the freeze on CSG, Mr Reynolds said he'd lost three rooms to people cancelling trips to the local CSG sites.
Mr Reynolds said he believed Casino needed new industries, whatever they may be, to bring more visitors and create more jobs.
"(At the moment) we're just stopping development in the area and Casino's going to go back to a standstill," he said. "We're not on the beachfront where there's tourist attraction."
Over at the family-owned Casino Motor Inn, the owner, who did not want to be named, spoke of the same blow to their business.
"It's certainly affecting us dramatically, and I don't necessarily support the CSG environmentally, but we've had to let off four staff and we've lost a lot of business," the owner said.
"Our income has dropped by more than half.
"When they were coming full on, they'd fill up 20 rooms and they'd have breakfast, lunch and dinner here."
Casino Chamber of Commerce president Angela Johnston said while Metgasco's withdrawal had been a blow, Casino would survive provided businesses and industries in the area grew.
"It is going to have major impacts on the town not having the new industry and the benefits it had proposed to bring to the area," she said.
"Casino's businesses are still open ... and we'll always like to welcome new business to the town."
http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/its-heartbreak-hotel/1800117/