First Terrace bar set to open
The first bar in Christchurch’s long-awaited $140 million Terrace hospitality development may open this week.
Botanic owner Daniel Taiaroa said preparations were on a ‘‘knifeedge’’ to open tomorrow.
His was one of 17 hospitality outlets in the first stage of Antony Gough’s The Terrace. After several years, delays and funding hurdles, construction was due to finish by the end of next week – seven years on from the devastating February 22 earthquake.
Gough said yesterday most outlets were fitting out their premises, aiming to be open later this month or in March.
The developer began planning the project after the 2011 quake destroyed The Strip, a row of restaurants and bars on the same Oxford Tce land between Hereford and Cashel streets, alongside the Avon River.
Construction began in 2013 and he brought in relatives to help fund the project. It has been delayed several times and it had been hoped new bars would open before last Christmas.
Gough said The Terrace’s first stage was due for ‘‘practical completion’’ at the end of next week, meaning construction firm Hawkins would hand possession over.
‘‘We’re waiting on our tenants and tenants’ fit-outs take three months, [but] most of them are well into it.’’
Terrace Tavern was aiming to open later this month, Gough said.
‘‘Then there’s a couple that will be opening in March and towards the end of March.
‘‘By April we should have quite a few open.’’
Taiaroa said the plan to open tomorrow was on a ‘‘knife-edge’’.
‘‘There’s just sort of a few final hoops to jump through with the council,’’ he said.
‘‘I’d say [we’re] about 50-50, otherwise it would be early next week we’ll be looking to kick the doors open to the public.’’
Taiaroa was aiming to make the most of the space, which was ‘‘a pretty beautiful setting’’.
‘‘I suppose that’s what we’ve tried to do, is just make the most of a really nice little spot to sit in Christchurch with the trams trundling by and the Avon out front there and live music out on the river front on a Friday afternoon,’’ Taiaroa said.
‘‘We’ve sort of tried to keep it as open and . . . as light and bright and breezy as possible really.
‘‘With the name, Botanic, we’ve kept a bit of a green theme through it, so we’re looking to plant it out.’’
The courtyard at the back of the bar had a ‘‘greenhouse’’ over the top to make it useable year-round, he said.
The development’s second stage was the Westpac building, which Gough expected would be complete by April 1.
‘‘I’m delighted to see we’re actually getting there and starting to get tenants who’ll open. It’ll be a huge asset for Christchurch,’’ he said.
‘‘The first taste will be with Botanic, because it will actually open the laneways up so you can actually walk all around close to the buildings . . . the main public areas will be open.’’