Many favour new Akaroa hotel

Press, 23 August 1977, Page 2

Many favour new Akaroa hotel

Overwhelming evidence in favour of the proposed Bruce Hotel accommodation and liquor facilities at Akaroa had been shown in a survey conducted by the National Research Bureau in March, the Licensing Control Commission heard yesterday. Miss Elizabeth Allan, an Auckland director of the bureau, was giving evidence to the commission in Christchurch during a hearing to determine if any new hotel or tavern licences are necessary in Akaroa. She said that in the survey, 300 persons including permanent residents, bach owners, and visitors, had been interviewed. When asked if they would use the proposed Bruce Hotel premises, eight out of 10 had said they would use them either “frequently, occasionally, or infrequently.” Miss Allan had been called as a witness for Bruce Holdings, Ltd, by counsel (Mr D.

1. Jones) in support of the granting of a new hotel licence.

The chairman of the Akaroa County Council (Mr T. J. Brocherie) said that his council supported a new licence for premises providing full sleeping, eating, and drinking facilities. The council had granted planning permission for the proposed Bruce Hotel premises. Mr S. J. Erber, representing the Canterbury division of the Hotel Association of New Zealand, opposed the granting of a licence. Bruce Holdings, Ltd, wants to build 12 town houses on the site of the old Bruce Hotel as well as a twostorey building with “fairly small, neighbourhood-style lounge bars” overlooking a courtyard and the harbour. The premises are designed to complement the French style of architecture of Akaroa and would be linked to a nearby existing restaurant by a covered

walkway. Smorgasbord and counter lunches wonld be served in the bar areas. Miss Allan said that her bureau’s survey, conducted on March 5 during the Queen's visit to Akaroa in the Britannia, showed that there was dissatisfaction with existing .Akaroa hotel facilities, which did not meet the demands of the public. Of the two hotels, the Grand Hotel and the Hotel Akaroa, the majority of people surveyed felt thar the Grand Hotel’s drinking facilities and surroundings were "below average” or “poor” rather than “good” but “above average” compared to drinking facilities elsewhere. The reverse was true for the Hotel Akaroa.

Seventy-eight per cent of those surveyed felt that there was a need for a smorgasbord to be provided by the proposed premises; 73 per cent wanted motel accommodation with cooking facilities, 67 per cent favoured a modem bar, and 57 per cent felt a need for a bottle store.

Mr R. Cockbum, an inspector of licensed premises, said that although the number of liquor outlets at Akaroa was generous for the total population, at peak periods the existing facilities did not measure up to modem standards. The township was deficient in modern lounge-bar facilities. “Akaroa is a popular holiday resort w'here the population can rise from around 600 to over 5000 in one day at peak periods,” said Mr Cockburn.

He said that motel development had almost trebled since 1971.

“In the absence of any move to remove one of the existing licences to cater for the southern end of the town, consideration could be given to the authorisation of a modest-sized hotel to be located in the vicinity of the wharf,” he said. “This would satisfy future accommodation and liquor demands, particularly if it were to be a 12-unit, motel-type complex served by a family bistro bar.”

The commission reserved its decision.