Cash Converters Whanganui set to move into former Angora restaurant on corner of Victoria Avenue and Ingestre Street

Work is under way at 199 Victoria Ave to convert the ground floor into a retail outlet for Cash Converters. Photo / Bevan Conley

Cash Converters Whanganui is set to move "one hundred yards down the road" and take up residence in the empty shopfront on the corner of Victoria Ave and Ingestre St.

Formerly filled by Angora restaurant, the building has been empty since October 2016 when a fire ripped through the building.

Architectural designer and contracts manager Noel Mouldey said the building had been severely damaged by the fire there four years ago and it had taken "a wee while to get through all sorts of processes".

"The town has been shut up in the past few weeks, but work has been going on behind the scenes."

Mouldey said the owners of the building had initially planned to divide the approximately 280sq m floor area into three shops or offices.

"It was going to be called 'Headwaters' in an effort to promote it as a gateway to the Whanganui CBD, leading down to the river.

"That idea has eventuated to a degree, it'll just be Cash Converters instead of Headwaters."

Mouldey said any building plans for the new retail outlet were "halted" due to the Covid-19 lockdown, but work by W&W Construction had begun under alert level 2.

"It's a good profile spot, and it's great to see activity back up and running in town.

"Everyone's back on the ball, and let's hope things are looking good for the future."

Mouldey said he hoped Cash Converters would move into the new location within three months.

On October 8, 2016, firefighters and two fire engines worked to control the fire from about 1.30am to 4am.