Five Stags tavern on hunt for buyers
The historic Five Stags family restaurant and bar in the Waikato township Pirongia is for sale.
Bayleys salespeople Mike Swanson and Alex ten Hove are marketing the upgraded business and land, at 815 Franklin St, as a freehold going concern underpinned by a substantial commercial property holding. The business and property will be auctioned on December 12.
Aucklanders travelling to the central North Island skifields and the Waitomo tourist attractions will be familiar with the Five Stags, 30km southwest of Hamilton. Apart from the thousands of vehicles passing daily, Five Stags is also on the calendar for motorcycle clubs and casual riders. Other groups such as Young Farmers have used it as a meeting venue.
Five Stags has separate bar and garden areas, and a family friendly restaurant with a hunting lodge theme that opens to a large covered outdoor area. It is open six days a week for lunch, dinner, and takeaways. The tavern offers craft beers and bar food.
A fit-out completed in 2017 includes new roofing and painting. The tavern was decorated and refurbished, while the chalets also reflect the hunting theme.
The tavern could be developed into more accommodation for hire or apartments suitable for Airbnb.
The 4047sq m level section has a carpark to the rear of the property, and there is about 2000sq m of spare land that could be developed.
In the 1860s Pirongia was a military outpost for the government of the day and was called Alexandra after the Princess of Wales. It was renamed Pirongia to avoid confusion with Alexandra in Otago.
Before the arrival of Europeans, the area around the present day village was associated with several hapu of Tainui who were able to benefit from sources of food in the river and streams, on nearby Mount Pirongia, and on the fertile river flats.
Five Stags was formerly known as the Alexandra Hotel, and built during New Zealand’s colonial period. The history of the historic fortifications is well documented with information available and on display in the township.
More recently, Five Stags was the venue for Australian radio duo Hamish and Andy’s farewell tour in
2017, packing in patrons for a onenight show to raise money for the Pirongia Rural Volunteer Fire Service.
The original Alexandra Hotel building has been divided into flats to provide owner and staff accommodation plus three character filled queen-sized rooms that retain the original hotel’s heritage and continue the hunting lodge theme.
Pirongia Village has cafes, craft stores and picnic spots. Attractions include a golf course, and the oldest horse racing club in New Zealand.
Pirongia Forest Park is the largest tract of unbroken native bush in the Waikato and is popular for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders.
The property is zoned commercial under the Waipa District Council Operative District Plan.
The site occupied by the tavern is
442sq m, and the older hotel provides
358sq m of accommodation on a
4047sq m area.
The main front hotel area could easily be converted into a lounge or self-serve kitchen with accommodation.