Hospo helps reinvigorate eastern end of city’s CBD
The return to Taranaki of a Stratfordborn chef is helping breathe new life into the eastern end of New Plymouth’s main street.
‘‘I never saw myself actually moving back to New Plymouth,’’ Carl Maunder said. ‘‘But it was one of the most comfortable moves.’’
Maunder, who is one of the country’s best-known chefs, moved back with his wife, Jade Lucas, in 2020.
Together they took over established restaurants Joe’s Garage, Little Glutton and the Gover St Bistro.
And while they still run Joe’s Garage as it was, Little Glutton has gone, to be ‘‘replaced’’ by State Pasta and State Gelato, and Gover St Bistro, which mainly catered to functions, is now State Bistro, a fully fledged restaurant.
‘‘It’s felt really good to have the place open as a bistro,’’ said Lucas, who has a background in marketing and hospitality. ‘‘We really fell in love with it.’’
Lucas said she felt the businesses were helping reinvigorate the eastern end of town, which is growing in reputation as a spot to grab a bite to eat.
As well as their three offerings, that side of the town features a vegan restaurant, a bakery, a dumpling restaurant and sushi bar. Mike’s, one of New Zealand’s oldest craft breweries, also has a bistro in the area.
The New Plymouth District Council recently built a meet and eat hang-out
space that includes seating and tables and umbrellas, as well as play equipment, in response to demand from surrounding businesses to make the area more attractive to people.
‘‘It definitely feels different,’’ Lucas said.
Nearby business owner Keegan Marshall, who owns Koby’s Kitchen with his wife CY, said he’d noticed an uptake in the area in recent years.
‘‘I was one of the originals to move in,’’ Marshall said.
Their business started off in a trailer kitchen, but their popularity saw them move into a store about three years ago.
‘‘When I came here a lot of the shops were empty,’’ he said. ‘‘Now, it’s definitely filling up.’’
Harcourts New Plymouth commercial broker Bruce Woodhead said while ‘‘there’s a lot of empty shops’’ on the main street, they were mainly in the middle of the city between Brougham St and Gover St. He could name seven off the top of his head, but none were near the new developments.
‘‘It’s looking good,’’ Woodhead said.