Functions centre planned

Press, 8 May 1986, Page 5

Functions centre planned

The old Civic Chambers building in Manchester Street has been sold and will be converted to a functions centre.

For the last 18 months, the building has housed the Civic Regency Restaurant The new owner — a Christchurch-based property and retail group, City Landscapes, Ltd — hopes. to convert the buildfag to a centre

which will cater for conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, and other functions such as weddings and parties. One of the partners in City Landscapes, Mr Bruce Curry, said the company would take possession on August 1. The already extensively renovated building would be closed for two weeks for further renovations. Mr Curry said teat the historical featuref-of the

building, including the < main stairway would be ; retained; but some in- < terior partitions would < be removed and the decor altered. < "We feel the building i has not been brought to i its full potential,” he : said. 1 The new owner will i promote the functions capacity and the build- I ing’s central site. 1 The Civic Regency - s specalised in three styles •!

of food, English, French and Chinese but the new centre will have only one. An Austrian executive chef has been hired to manage the kitchen and a high-quality style, cuisine and service, would be the aim of the new resturant, said Mr Curry. Other ideas for “The Civic,” as it will be known, include having a small movie theatre and studios, he said. -J