Developer Stephen Chittock with workmen assembling wall
framing for a new cafe and bar at the Esplanade, St Clair.
Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Development of the fourth of six potential licensed
premises at the St Clair Esplanade is under way, with an
estimated $400,000 conversion of a $1.3 million house into a
bar and cafe making good progress.
The modest raised beachfront home, owned for decades by the
Thomas family, was recently purchased for $1.3 million.
All but its front facade has been demolished for a bar and
restaurant development which will eventually seat up to 130
patrons.
Local developer Stephen Chittock has in recent years
purchased nine of the 11 residential properties within the
Esplanade block and owns the beachfront motels and Mansions
apartment block.
Mr Chittock is also in a joint venture development with
Calder Stewart and the construction of a 26-room hotel at the
southern end of St Clair Esplanade, estimated to be worth $8
million to $9 million by the time it opens in April next
year, is well under way.
Tentatively named Swell Cafe, it will be operated by the
Chittock family and should be open by October.
It will have seating for 80 indoors, 30 in a courtyard and 20
on a deck with a conservatory area in front of the existing
facade.
"Where else are you right there, with views like this of the
surf and beach only metres away," Mr Chittock said.
He believes tourism trends indicate more domestic and
Australian visitors and St Clair, with its proliferation of
bars and restaurants, as well as a spa business, is
developing well to capture and share that market.
"We want to see the [Esplanade] block live, and not tied up
with flash apartments only for the wealthiest," Mr Chittock
said yesterday.
Current licensed premises within the Esplanade block are the
Salt bar, Starfish and Esplanade, with a long-standing
proposal by a Dunedin restaurateur to build on a vacant block
and a bar in Mr Chittock's hotel development set to add to
the list.
He said while there were some competing businesses, the wider
Esplanade block was developing as a social hub, not only for
the community but for visitors to the suburb.
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