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Fancy running a business behind bars?
The Dunedin Prison Charitable Trust is seeking business proposals for the old prison building which it has rebranded Dunedin Gaol.
Restoring the Heritage New Zealand category 1-listed building — the only surviving building representing a Victorian courtyard prison in the country — was going to take ‘‘years and years’’, trust chairwoman Virginia Nicholls said.
To do that, a lot more income was required, which was why the trust was looking for suitable tenants, she said.
A document had been prepared by Kenny Lau, of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, in conjunction with the trust, which included potential uses.
Subject to suitable internal works, possible concepts included student accommodation, co-living, co-working space, high-end food service, specialised retail and other hospitality or events concepts.
The building has a total floor area of 2,527sqm in three storeys, including 59 cells, along with offices, storage and service areas and kitchen space.
There is also a central courtyard on the ground floor, which the document described as suitable for high-end food service, theatre or other recreational concepts, while a car parking area provided further options.
About one-third of the building was under a lease to an escape gaming tenant.
Access needed to be retained in the building for tours and school groups so tenants and the trust would need to work together, Mrs Nicholls said.
She was excited about the opportunities for the building, saying it would all help with the trust’s vision of bringing it alive and telling the stories and history of its time as a prison.