Refreshment stop brewing for Whangarei Hatea Loop users

Bascule Park is the site of a new pop-up cafe.

A pop-up cafe looks set to become a permanant feature in Bascule Park, the multi-purpose area next to Te Matau a Pohe bridge.

Whangarei District Council property manager Mike Hibbert says the 3 sisters Café is working with council staff to develop a commercial agreement to operate initially for 12 months. It is expected trading will likely start in July/August.

The initial decision for a pop-up cafe was based around registrations of interest initially being called in September 2015.

From this the future use of the site was determined including a pop-up cafe, campervan short-term parking, public toilets, over-flow parking for Toll Stadium and carpark access to the Hatea Loop shared pathway.

Mr Hibbert says the initial pop-up cafe did not progress as the winning registration withdrew.

Since then several alternatives had been suggested but there was no practical committement until the 3 sisters' proposal.

Mr Hibbert says permission had been given to vendors on a casual basis and with the understanding they would need to move at some stage pending the time to formalise a pop-up cafe agreement.

"The new agreement will give the pop-up cafe exclusive rights to the area," he said. "The existing users will be given appropriate formal notice; they have already verbally been told."

Mr Hibbert says the exclusivity issue is based around the cafe operator who will be paying a commercial rent.

"The existing vendors have never been charged due to the casual nature of the agreement," he said.

The operation will be based in an upgraded shipping container that can be relocated in the future if required.