Tradies toast year in trademark style

Celebrating a hard year of work with a well-earned barbecue are Naylor Love hammer-hand Nick Heatley (left) and carpenter Jerald Pattison.

Yesterday was Tradies Day, when tradesmen downed tools and sank pints to celebrate the last day of work before a few weeks' holiday.

By the early afternoon, bars from Green Island to South Dunedin were jam-packed with everyone from arborists to chippies to plumbers to sparkies enjoying a few hard-won refreshments.