Tea kiosk coming back to life
A historic tea kiosk atop of an iconic Auckland volcanic cone is about to be brought back to life.
Andrew Bell, who operates the popular Cornwall Park Cafe and Cornwall Park Bistro, has become the lessee of the Maungawhau tea kiosk, from which he plans to operate a cafe.
When the Maungawhau Tea Kiosk, on the northern edge of Mt Eden, failed a structural assessment in 2012 its future became uncertain.
But investment by Auckland Council and the Tu¯puna Maunga O Ta¯maki Makaurau Authority has saved the building and brought it back to life.
Paul Majurey, chair of the Tu¯puna Maunga Authority, says returning the kiosk to a functioning cafe is something the Authority has been planning for some time.
‘‘We have approached this project with sensitivity to the outstanding natural landscape that is Maungawhau and the deep spiritual and cultural ties that Mana Whenua have with this maunga.’’
Majurey says there will be no ground disturbance during works to return the kiosk to a cafe´.
The Maunga Authority and Auckland Council worked with commercial property specialists JLL to find a lessor for the property. JLL’s head of retail Chris Beasleigh says Bell is the perfect person to become the lessor.
Building consent is about to be lodged for the kiosk, Bell says.