Fat Albert part of South Canterbury lodge sale

An aerial view of the historic Allandale Lodge at 555 Geraldine-Fairlie Highway, South Canterbury.

An historic lodge in the Mackenzie Country offering luxury bed and breakfast accommodation has been placed on the market with its onsite smokehouse and store for sale as a freehold property with going concern businesses.

Allandale Lodge is a former school hall that was converted into boutique accommodation surrounded by two hectares of farmland and mountains in Fairlie, South Canterbury. Sharing the property is Fat Albert Smokehouse and Store - an established business that produces gourmet smoked products including salmon, duck, chorizo sausage and venison.

"After 12 years restoring and running the businesses, the owners Keith and Alison Hatton have decided now is the right times for someone else to take over and realise their own vision for the property," says Sue Morton of Bayleys Timaru who is marketing Allandale Lodge and Fat Albert Smokehouse and Store for sale under one title by negotiation closing next Thursday November 5.

Some of the buildings making up the Allandale Lodge complex.

Located on the main route to the Mackenzie Basin at 555 Geraldine-Fairlie Highway, the B & B hospitality business and smokehouse are in central Fairlie with good road access to Timaru, Geraldine and Christchurch.

"The property typifies all the region has to offer including, its famous plains, lakes, and mountains," Morton says. "The lodge combines the best of both worlds - a tranquil sanctuary with stunning mountain views, yet easily accessible to attractions and amenities.

"It's the ideal base for a peaceful night's sleep for visitors stopping for the night en route or for those who are holidaying in the area.

"Among South Canterbury's attractions are Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, Tasman Glacier and an unspoilt coastline, making it the perfect destination for skiing, snowboarding tramping, fishing or other water-based holidays."

The original Allandale hall building was used by the Home Guard during World War II and later served as a community hall for many years. More recent uses of the hall were as a base for the Allandale Miniature Rifle Club and a meeting venue for the Allandale Country Women's Institute through until the 1980s.

The Fat Albert smokehouse business operates within the Allandale Lodge property in South Canterbury.

Eventually, the hall fell into disrepair until it was bought by the Hattons. The couple restored and extensively renovated the property into boutique accommodation, while retaining several of the original features of its colourful past, such as rimu floors, brick chimney, wooden sash windows, tongue and groove walls and ceiling.

The accommodation comprises three rooms - two with queen-sized bedrooms and one single room each with a wash basin. A large living area is shared with the owners. In a separate area is the kitchen and owner's bedroom. Tariffs range from $135 to $155 per room per night, with multi-night discounts available for bookings of more than two nights.

Additional services offer by Allandale Lodge include a courtesy transport to and from Fairlie township, sightseeing advice and forward bookings, organising hunting and fishing guides.

"In a market flooded with accommodation options, very few stand out as having the level of quality, facilities, service and picturesque location Allandale offers. This is a distinctive property that ticks all the boxes," Morton says.

The Fat Albert Smokehouse and Store included in the sale is located only a few metres from the main building. "This business was established in 2005 and has built up an envious reputation supplying both local and national markets," Morton says.
"Gourmet smoked New Zealand salmon, venison, duck, chorizo sausage and cheese products are processed on site in the smoke house using traditional recipes to produce subtly flavoured products."

Keith Hatton says the smoked salmon is hand-sliced, giving thinner cuts and, crucially, enhancing the natural salmon flavour. "We strive to be chemical free with most of our products free from sulphites and no artificial colours or artificial preservatives used. Many of our products are also gluten-free," Hatton says.

Customers make purchases from the onsite shop or order online with products couriered in insulated containers on ice, ensuring they arrive fast and fresh. "A shop specialty is our three hampers priced from $89 to $179 that make excellent holiday gifts and which are ideal for picnics," says Hatton. The smokehouse products are also regularly sold at local markets.

"There is huge opportunity to grow the businesses further," Morton says. "The lodge, spacious parking and land size are ideally suited as a wedding venue or for a restaurant. Alternative ventures could include a caravan park for small farming block.

"This well-presented, niche business would suit an investor or owner-operator. It's a special slice of New Zealand just waiting for a new owner to take over this highly-regarded property and take it to the next level."