Demolished for hotel extension

Invercargill’s former Southland Frozen Meats building has gone up in dust to make way for an extension of the forthcoming Distinction Hotel.

Construction workers hosed down the chaotic mess of rubble and twisted metal off Esk St West yesterday afternoon, which is expected to be cleared in the coming days.

Hotelier Geoff Thompson bought the defunct building in 2021 with plans for it to be developed into residential accommodation for hotel staff of the nearby hotel, formerly the Menzies Building, of which construction steadily continues.

Earlier this year, project manager Hayden Rankin said construction of the accommodation would follow shortly after demolition of the building.

The hotel would likely to open in the third or fourth quarter next year, he said.