Port Marlborough boss takes

A port boss has described his six years of on-and-off negotiations with a tenant aquarium owner over a lease renewal dispute.

Port Marlborough chief executive Rhys Welbourn gave evidence, on the fourth day of a High Court hearing in Blenheim, about discussions with aquarium owner and plaintiff John Reuhman. Reuhman said the port promised to renew his lease for a further 10 years after it expired in July last year but Welbourn said he repeatedly told Reuhman over the years that nothing was official until it was written into a lease variation, which never happened. ‘‘Even the terms and provisions sought by Mr Reuhman changed over that time. So how could anyone logically get to the conclusion there was agreement?’’ Welbourn asked.

‘‘I have never worked in an organisation where a lease has been agreed upon purely in verbal terms.’’ Welbourn had told Reuhman in 2015 the port was prepared to offer a 10-year rightof-renewal but also wanted to change the rent review method as management thought the $11,885 annual rent was low for the 910sqm foreshore site and it had not changed since 2011.

But Reuhman wanted an ‘‘extensive list of changes’’, Welbourn said. He wanted the cinema and cafe he opened in the building to be added as permitted activities, and he wanted a rent reduction. He also wanted the future development clause to be removed or altered.

The clause meant if Port Marlborough needed the land for a project, it could evict him with three months’ notice.

If the clause was not deleted,

Reuhman said the port should have to find the aquarium a new site and buy the building or at least not charge Ecoworld for its removal. Reuhman also wanted to remove his personal guarantee.

The port was prepared to accept some of his requests but not all. It offered to extend the development clause to 12 months but would not reduce the rent.

Welbourn reminded Reuhman in the email that any changes had to be formally written into the lease to become effective. But there was no response, which