Construction delays Habitual Fix’s opening

Construction delays have pushed the opening back to early April.

After a slight delay, a pair of excops are back on track to give the city’s lunch crowd their fix at a new sandwich and salad bar.

Husband and wife team Anna and Heath Finlay had planned to open a branch of healthy fast-food franchise Habitual Fix on The Square, next to the Palmerston North City Council building, by early February.

But unexpected construction delays have pushed the opening back to early April.

Anna Finlay said work was now all but done on the store and they would be open for business in two to three weeks, depending on when they could get a final council inspection.

Heath Finlay had been hard at work with Wenham Builders in the past couple of weeks and had recently finished installing the counter and shop fittings.

‘‘The painters are going in [now] and they’ll be done by the end of the week. Then the council will do the final inspection and sign-off soon after that,’’ Anna Finlay said.

The Finlays were eager to get going and the strong reaction to the delay had shown there was a real appetite for quick, healthy food in Palmerston North , she said. ‘‘People seem excited about [Habitual Fix]. We’ve been getting a lot of people asking us ‘what’s going on?’ and ‘when are you going to open?’’’

The couple will soon be working fulltime, with their five staff members.

Heath Finlay was a police officer for 17 years, including stints in the armed offenders squad and as a dog handler. Anna Finlay served for five years in the police.