IT took just four years for mother and daughter team Ruth Lennon and Debbie Campbell to turn around the fortunes of Bathurst Goldfields, and now they're selling up and moving on.
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Bundaberg couple Peter and Theresa Coyle are the new owners of Goldfields after the sale was finalised on Tuesday. But they are taking over a very different business to one Ms Campbell and Ms Lennon's Designer Events bought in 2015.
The Goldfields had previously been owned by the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst but was one of the church assets that had to be sold to help repay a $40 million debt to the Commonwealth Bank.
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But it was a very rundown facility and Designer Events spent around $1 million on general maintenance to bring it back to life before investing $1.5 million in a new function centre that has quickly become the most popular events venue in the city.
The incredible Goldfields turn-around was capped 12 months ago when it was named Bathurst's business of the year for 2018.
"We have 22,000 children through here each year and can sleep up to 300," Ms Campbell said.
"My mother, who taught for 30 years, thought it would have been a real loss for the city of Bathurst if Goldfields had been forced to shut."
Guy Sebastian on stage at Bathurst Goldfields for the Black Tie and Boots Ball in 2018
Ms Campbell said her experience in events management had made her confident the new function centre - which can cater for crowds of up to 700 people - would be a success.
"When BMEC changed to split level we were left with nowhere in Bathurst that could hold more than 500 people on a single level," said.
"I used to do the V8 Ball and we really struggled to find somewhere so I knew there was a need.
"We now have most the grads here and we're completely booked out between now and Christmas."
Ms Campbell said she did not know what the next stage of her working life would hold but she would remain with Goldfields for a couple of months yet.
She had a simple message for all Bathurst business owners.
"Being in a regional town it is really important to look after each other, particularly in times like these with the drought," she said.
"No matter what business we're in, we should all be shopping locally."
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