'That's my team in there': Armed robbery no barrier for frantic Tikipunga Tavern owner

Police are still hunting one man after an armed robbery at the Tikipunga Tavern. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The owner of a bar where local heroes wrestled a loaded shotgun from an armed robber, with a shot narrowly missing them, has described the moment he arrived as it was all unfolding.

Harmeet Batra, who owns Tikipunga Tavern in Whangārei, was driving into the car park about 10.50pm on Wednesday, just after a man, armed with an object similar to a screwdriver, left the tavern and a second, armed with a double-barrelled shotgun, was pinned down on the floor by locals.

"The old guy outside said 'don't go in, something serious is going on'. I said 'that's my team in there' and just ran in ... it's a bloody horrible thing."

He had missed the main drama, where — according to a witness — a man armed with a shotgun jumped on the bar, demanded money and pointed the firearm at bar staff before patrons took action.

Plates were thrown and a scuffle unfolded on the floor before a shot was fired, missing everyone.

Patrons got the gun and restrained the man until police arrived.

Batra, who reopened the bar tonight , described the patrons as heroes, particularly a man who first pounced on the gunman, before others came to his aid.

The man indicated to Batra he had mixed feelings about being called a hero.

"He said 'everyone's calling me a hero, but I only did it for my family, because my family was there'."

Batra also owns the Ruakaka Tavern, where he and his wife were held up by a knife-wielding robber at closing time a year ago, he said.

"It's unbelievable what's going on with these people doing things."

When he bought the Tikipunga Tavern last month he thought 'it's not a safe pub', but he was making improvements, including installing floodlights to the car park, DNA sprays and more security cameras.

Those installed already had shown the two men allegedly responsible for Wednesday's armed robbery loitering in bushes behind the tavern for four hours before the incident occurred, Batra said.

Police, who earlier this week advised people against intervening in dangerous situations, said tonight the second man had still not been found.

An injured 25-year-old man appeared before a Justice of the Peace in a bedside court hearing at Whangārei Hospital on Thursday.

He was charged with being armed with an offensive weapon — a sawn-off pistol grip shotgun — and robbing the Tikipunga Tavern of two cash registers. He was remanded in custody to May 8.