Bluff hotel demolition still on hold for now

The Bluff Oyster Festival Trust is waiting on the results of reports before a hoped-for demolition of the town’s Club Hotel can go ahead.

Trust members met with contractors at the Heritage NZ-designated Category II historic place yesterday to discuss what steps were left to be taken, before applying for a demolition resource consent from Invercargill City Council.

Festival committee member Kylie Fowler said plans for an eventual rejuvenation of the site, which would also allow for an expansion of the annual May festival, were no further forward at this stage.

‘‘We’ve got to wait on engineers’ reports, a Historic Places Trust report and so on before we can apply to demol- ish the hotel, and only then will we know how we stand.’’

As the festival was run by a trust, it didn’t have unlimited funds for a project that continued to ‘‘drag on’’, she said.

The trust acquired the site in June 2014, and made ‘‘numerous attempts’’ unsuccessfully to sell the hotel since.

Previous estimates to bring the hotel – built in 1914 – to current building standards exceeded $1 million, making it unviable, Fowler believed.

In November last year, the trust released concept renders of their ideas for a terraced ‘‘public space’’ to replace the frontage of the hotel on Gore St, which would allow for an expansion of the festival space behind and a potential additional 1000 attendees.

Under current limitations, about 4500 people attend the oyster festival each year.

Bluff Community Board chairman Raymond Fife said after seeing the concept designs, the board had given its full support to the planned site transformation.

‘‘Our biggest concern was there would be a gaping hole in the main street after the hotel was demolished, which would only be filled once a year with the oyster festival.

‘‘Obviously some will feel there’s a bit of history being lost with the passing of the Club Hotel, but the proposal that the Festival Trust have come up with both delivers a clear path for boosting festival numbers, and provides an attractive space for locals and visitors to the town to gather and spend some time in Bluff’s centre.’’

Fowler said tourists already stopped in front of the Club, as it was a wifi hotspot.

‘‘I could see it in future becoming quite popular as a place to hang out, have a snack, and check your emails. Once people have got out of their cars, they’re more likely to take a look around and spend a bit of money.’’

Plans for the space included terraced seating, native plantings, and a series of historical information boards.

‘‘We don’t want the history of the site to be lost. We want to provide an attractive new space for the public and visitors to enjoy.’’

Fowler said although she hoped the project could be kept moving reasonably quickly, significant progress would not occur in time for any changes to the next festival.

‘‘Until we know what we’re able to do with the site we can’t make any guesses about when work might begin, or what it might cost.’’