Cafe unable to clean heritage windows

A cafe owner is embarrassed he cannot clean his windows because of heritage rules.

Christchurch’s the Sign of the Takahe reopened as a cafe and bar in September after the nearly 100-year-old building underwent a $2.8 million post-earthquake restoration. The windows have not been properly cleaned since the repair finished in 2017 because they are covered with protective glass only a specialist is allowed to remove.

Restaurateur Andrew Male said the beautiful views from the building were being spoiled by their inability to keep the windows clean.

‘‘It is very embarrassing for customers to come up to us and ask why we haven’t been cleaning our windows,’’ he said.

Male said it would be relatively simple for the cafe staff to remove the protective glass with the right tools but they were not allowed.

The rules were set by the Christchurch City Council, which paid for the restoration.

The windows are separated by roughly 20-millimetre gaps with additional protective glass on either side. The windows and protective glass are attached by brackets screwed into the walls.

Notices have been placed on the windows explaining the situation.

Council head of parks Andrew Rutledge said the council was working with an experienced glass handler to remove the protective glass and allow the windows to be cleaned. ‘‘We hope to have this done in early December,’’ Rutledge said.

Male said he understood why heritage buildings needed rules but he had hoped the solution would be a permanent one, rather than a temporary fix that would only allow for a one-off clean.