Thirsty Tui gastropub and hotel

The Thirsty Tui gastropub premises and business are now for sale at Paparoa. PHOTO / SUPPLIED

KEY POINTS:

• Thirsty Tui is a favoured refreshment stop, near a small Kaipara Harbour village, about 90-minutes north of Auckland.

A popular, refurbished gastropub at Paparoa, on the Twin Coast Discovery Route, is now for sale.

The Thirsty Tui, which is on the market for the first time in nearly half a century, is being marketed by sole agents Deborah Dowling and Richard Larman of CBRE as a freehold going concern.

The property and business, at 2039 Paparoa Valley Rd, are due to be sold through deadline private treaty, closing at 4pm on November 22, unless sold earlier. Dowling says the owner is selling a local institution that has been in her family for 45 years.

"Our vendor is now Auckland-based and involved in other businesses, so this is an opportunity for an investor with a hospitality interest or a family/couple looking to take the restaurant and hotel forward. Properties of this quality and lifestyle with business development potential, are often held for a long time and so are rare to the market."

The 4244sq m site sustains the restaurant, bar and garden; three single-bedroom suites; a two-bedroom owner's home, an off-licence with a separate entrance; 30 car parks; seven water tanks; additional outbuildings and riparian rights down to the river at the rear.

"The hotel has served the local community and tourists for 56 years, having been been fully renovated to a boutique retro-style, providing provides modern comfort, quality and tourist appeal. The completely upgraded commercial kitchen produces quality lunches and dinners," says Dowling. "The two-bedroom owner's home has a private garden and rural outlook. Furthermore, the property has access to an open bush walk to local landmarks nearby."

Larman says the dining facilities seat 60 people inside, opening up to cater for an additional 60 people outside.

"The Thirsty Tui has excellent TripAdvisor reviews, and is actively promoted on social media and has its own Facebook page with numerous followers.

"It is the local community's dining destination, attracting not only local people but also passing visitors from all over the world."

The freehold title offers future further development options, says Dowling.

"Options exist to build up the business further by running events, weddings and functions or increase accommodation facilities. Surplus land next to the property is now used for overflow-parking, and to provide riverside parking for campervan tourists. It could be subdivided or developed in the future.

"The property is on the edge of Paparoa is a small historic village close to the Kaipara Harbour, about 90 minutes drive north of Auckland.

With historic buildings, a village school, bush walks and the famous Matakohe Kauri Museum minutes away, tourism here is soaring."