The faithful customers of a central Dunedin fish and chip restaurant can relax - Best Cafe's retro decor will remain mostly the same after renovations.
Co owner Marc Yeoman said the business had been closed for earthquake strengthening since September 9. Other work included making the restaurant floor more stable.
The foundation at the rear of the restaurant had sunk, making the floor ''bouncy''. Diners often felt an earthquake like sensation when someone walked around the back of the restaurant.
''The tables would rattle,'' he said.
A new toilet was being built so diners would no longer need to walk through the kitchen to access the facilities in a small brick room out the back.
The new toilet would be wheelchair accessible and more modern.
''We moved away from the chain pull toilet. Our new toilet will have a push button and we may even splash out and put a mirror in it for the ladies.''
The lino and carpet in the restaurant would be replaced, and he was trying to find the ''greenest and ugliest'' replacement lino to match the old decor.
The wooden tables, the brown vinyl tablecloths and the menu would remain the same.
The walls would be repainted the colour they were in the 1930s.
''We are taking it back to the way it used to be.''
An internal wall had been removed and a new entranceway was being added.
The cafe's hours were being extended. It would be open on Sundays for the first time in the five years he had owned the business.
During renovations, Mr Yeoman and his family had holidayed around the South Island, including a day whitebaiting under the Buller River bridge.
''I had a little scoop net and I got 2.7kg in about two hours. It was awesome.''
He hoped the restaurant would be open again before the first cruise ship of the season arrived, on October 3.
