Southland people are well known for their hospitality and at the Taylor Hotel in Ohai this is no exception. Known as “Peg’s Place” the pub is owned by the Taylor family, Mickey, Tommy and their mother Peg. The boys run the bars while 81 year old Peg runs the highly regarded Guest House with a preference to customs and traditions long out of favour elsewhere in this business. Peg remains true to her generation, the generation that helped build Ohai, a weather-boarded town of 130 families and different to other Southern settlements. Ohai doesn’t cling to a rural rail yard or sale yards, nor does it rely on farming. It is a Coal town and everyone is of mining stock, including the Taylor’s.
Peg’s father was a miner who was killed underground. This was one of the reasons she and her late husband built the Taylor Hotel 27 years ago. She wanted her sons out of the Ohai mine and today they remain in the business with Peg as the maternal director.
Her clients staying at the Hotel over the years have included guests like the Governor General and Lady Ferguson; the Australian High Commissioner; most members of Parliament and there are regular clientele because of the Hotel’s comfortable facilities and homely atmosphere. However, the main draw card is the Taylor table. It’s not fancy French, but just good food cooked as Peg’s mother did. Her motto is ‘No one leaves the table feeling hungry.’
This documentary surveys the Taylor’s daily routine running the Hotel, restaurant and catering to their guest needs. There’s even time to attend the odd Race Day. Peg and her family own a race horse or two and are keen punters.
Her other love is baking and with 20 tins in the kitchen she claims they were vary rarely empty. Friends, the local priest, guests at the Hotel, or whoever may have popped in, there were always goodies waiting in Peg’s kitchen.
A world trip with two friends a year prior to this programme being made was a highlight for Peg and she is hoping to do another during the winter the following year if time allows.