Rimutaka café goes up in flames

Police and fire authorities are investigating a fire which badly damaged the Summit Cafe at the top of Rimutaka Hill Road, between the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa early today.

The Fire Service was called just before 3.30am.

There was no one in the building at the time.

The cafe was on the verge of demolition and last month determined campaigners tried to save the run-down building.

Carterton Mayor Gary McPhee said on March 25 that the cafe was an iconic site and should be saved. Mr McPhee had made a plea for the Masterton, Carterton, South Wairarapa and Upper Hutt city councils to come together to rescue the building.

"It could be the best site in New Zealand for an information centre and my personal feeling is that the councils should combine to buy it," he said.

The summit was a place travellers would always stop if there were proper facilities, he said.

- NZPA