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One of Auckland's iconic Viaduct drinking holes, the Loaded Hog, is set to go upmarket and be split into four bars as part of a multi-million-dollar facelift.
But its name might be changed sooner than its new owner anticipated, as the bar's previous owners are pursued in the High Court for an unpaid debt.
Jonathan Botherway, who owns bars up and down New Zealand, said he was planning to turn the Loaded Hog into four separate yet connected bars - all designed to attract a more upmarket, "30-plus" crowd. Specialist real estate agency Match Realty this week applied for the company Loaded Hog Auckland (2005) Limited to be put into liquidation over a disputed commission payment of "more than $100,000" it says has not been paid. This company has nothing to do with Botherway, who bought the bar from the Loaded Hog company.
Botherway said the refit would give the site a lift: "There'll be four different bars with four different themes if you like. It'll be amazing when it's finished, so you can walk in off Hobson St if you like and come to a lobby area, where you can go into either the cocktail bar, or the English style bar or the main bar. Then, when you're in the main bar, there's a doorway where you can go upstairs and be part of it."
Botherway said he hoped to improve on what was already being done at other up-market Viaduct bars
"It's going to be what Euro and Soul try to do in their bars, but they're bars and restaurants - this is going to be purpose built."
Stage one of the refit will be finished in time for this summer, but punters won't notice much change at first. Botherway said in April next year he planned to close the bar for eight weeks, to redesign the interior and open under a new name.
"I was planning to trade under the Loaded Hog banner until April next year until we close down. We will change the bar, change the dynamics before Christmas and tidy up upstairs."
But Botherway said there could now be an earlier name change. "We might just need to change its name to something like 'Transitions' ... because it's not going to be a full-on finished product. But at the same time, I don't want to be closed in December, January, February; it still turns up some good numbers."
While Botherway won't commit to figures, it is thought the refit and refurbishment will cost up to $2 million. It's believed he paid around $3.5 million for the bar late last year.
Botherway is known for bar developments on Christchurch's "The Strip" precinct.
He has been involved in developing Sponge and Chicane in Ponsonby, Fox's Ale House, Lenin and the Ice Bar.
