Whanganui’s Funky Duck cafe owner in standoff with Whanganui District Council over new lease

Dave Hill has run the Funky Duck for the past nine years. Photo / Bevan Conley

The owner of Whanganui’s Funky Duck cafe says he “will leave with absolutely nothing” when his lease expires next March, after failing to secure a buyer.

Dave Hill, who has operated the cafe at Rotokawau Virginia Lake for nine years, blames the landlord - Whanganui District Council - and has started a petition about the lease process to present to the council.

“People have wanted to buy the business but, of course, they didn’t just want to buy a three or four-year lease, which is what I had remaining,” he said.

“The council refused to engage with them about an extended lease. Every one of those contracts fell over because of that.”

Last December, four interested parties - including Hill - were invited to make a five-minute presentation at a closed-door council meeting.

“I thought that if I failed to sell the business, maybe I should apply for a 10-year lease,” Hill said.

“Then, at least it would give me something to sell. If I had the lease, I could have completed the sale and purchase within 24 hours.”

Hill was turned down via email, with the council preferring to “work with the community to understand and define the aspirations - through a set of principles - for this location and facility”.

The council said it intended to hold design workshops in the first half of this year, followed by a request for proposal process to identify a suitable operator.

Hill said he had received no more correspondence from the council since December and would probably close earlier than March because his staff had to look for other work.

“This place is going to run down. I have no incentive to replace equipment or refurbish because why should I?

“I’m going to walk out of here with absolutely nothing. Maybe I could sell the chattels at a garage sale or something, but they’re worth bugger all.”

Council chief executive David Langford said the council was not trying to close down the cafe and it was part of what made the park “so special”.

He said Hill had made repeated requests to the council and management to extend the lease so he was in a better position to sell the business but they were declined.

Council chief executive David Langford. Photo / Bevan Conley

“Operating a business in the middle of one of our community’s premier parks - that is paid for by ratepayers - is a unique opportunity and there needs to be a fair and transparent process for determining who gets the next lease,” Langford said.

“Helping the current leaseholder to sell this opportunity as part of their business to the highest bidder lacks fairness and transparency and is not a sufficient reason for the council to grant a new lease.”

Langford said the council ran an expressions of interest process whenever the lease for the property was due to expire and Hill would have been aware of that when he signed up for the lease.

Hill said he was aware of the deal but the council had repeatedly delayed that process over the past five years.

It had now been “kicked into touch again”.

“Why do they need to go back to a lengthy, messy process, every single time?” Hill said.

“It’s just a straight business transaction, for goodness sake. It’s just a cafe, it’s just a building.

“I just want to sell the business, retire gracefully and move on.”

Langford said Hill had previously had frequent interactions with the council, meeting with himself, Mayor Andrew Tripe, various councillors, and current and past general managers.

Hill’s proposal was still in the running for a new lease, he said.

“Most recently, the council agreed to run the next expressions of interest process sooner than planned to allow Mr Hill the opportunity to bid for a new lease and progress his personal plans.

“Before deciding which proposal to proceed with, the council wants to have some input from the community on what they want to see happen in Rotokawau Virginia Lake over the next 10 years and a consultation process is planned for May.”

Langford said he was disappointed Hill had “chosen to make unfounded claims about the council”.

“We would prefer him to focus on the community consultation and expressions of interest process in a fair and constructive manner.

“Given the level of interest from local businesses we are confident that there will continue to be a cafe at Rotokawau Virginia Lake.”

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.