Work starts tomorrow on an addition to Arrowtown’s The Fork and Tap — complementing the 1874 corner building that was earthquake-strengthened and refurbished two years ago.
The stage two building, designed by Queenstown architect Mary Jowett, will replace the restaurant/craft beer bar’s current kitchen, toilets and marquee-enclosed outdoor area.
It will have a new area with a flat roof and sides that roll down, a fireplace at the end built by local sculptor Conor McNicholas, a new kitchen, double the number of toilets and a pop-up bar for events.
The far-end garden bar and kids’ play area will remain.
‘‘Everything will be so much nicer,’’ says publican Jeannie Crawford, whose family has also owned the property for 15 years.
‘‘It’s super-exciting, we’re all fizzing.’’
There’s nothing historic about the current add-ons to the historic building, she adds — ‘‘it’s all higgledy-piggledy’’.
‘‘Covid definitely slowed the development down, but in not such a bad way because we’ve got a better plan with what people want and what’s going to work.’’
The addition will be over two levels down from the old building.
Crawford says along with the beautiful work that’s been done to The Fork and Tap and the historic museum, opposite, along with the new Roost Mortgages building just up Wiltshire Street, ‘‘we owe it to the building and the community to do this’’.
‘‘And we do always say, we’re like the guardians of the building.’’
The extension’s being constructed by Matt Fisher, of Build This, while Nikki Wilson is again handling the interior design.
Crawford expects the addition to be ready about mid-November.
‘‘We’re going to keep trading right through — we might just close for a week.’’
And all 15 staff will be re tained.
Meantime, a demolition party will be held this afternoon, including entertainment from local Paul Winders’ band, The Happy Sundays, from 2-5pm.
