After 56 years, White Lady decides it's time to move

The White Lady has been in Shortland St for 56 years and "it'll feel weird not being there", says owner Peter Washer.

For more than 50 years it sat in Shortland St, but now the White Lady is moving on.

The familiar 12m-long pie cart seems likely to move to Quay St opposite the Ferry Building. Although talks are still going on with the council about the exact location, a hospitality expert has welcomed the move.

The block where the White Lady resides is going to be redeveloped, but owner Peter Washer wants the move to be permanent.

"My hope is that by being strategically placed, we can accommodate life re-entering the Britomart area ... it's a nice idea of another toss of the dice."

Mr Washer said he was a great believer in a businesses generating its own trade but "it all depends on whether we're still convenient to our public".

He will feel a little sad about leaving his usual territory but said the opportunity would be another chapter in the White Lady's long history.

"The tragic thing is we've always been the Shortland St pie cart and it'll feel weird not being there."

The pie cart is best known for dishing up hamburgers in the early hours when the bars are closed but the public is ready for food. "We've never missed a night in all those 56 years," Mr Washer said.

Lindsay Neill, a chef and senior lecturer at AUT's school of hospitality and tourism, who is writing a thesis on pie carts, said the future of pie carts in New Zealand was looking grim, it was a great move for the White Lady.

"Rather than have [the cart] disappear completely and lose that unique piece of New Zealand, it's kind of had a reprieve."

And Mr Neill said the Ferry Building was a magnificent spot.

"At the weekend there's all these people in the Viaduct area and it's a busy part of town, probably just as busy as Shortland St if not a wee bit more."

The Auckland City Council said it was still in negotiations with Mr Washer, and several possible locations would be considered. Issues the council would be looking at included public safety and pedestrian access.

Mr Washer: "If worst comes to worst I'll find some little beach and set up a summertime spit roast and take it easy for the rest of the year".