Boat Ramp restaurant shuts doors

Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club's Boat Ramp Restaurant will be closed to the public at the end of the month. Photo / Paul Taylor

In the wake of a deal to sell its boat ramp to Napier City Council, and as part of a "back-to-basics" strategy to keep it financially afloat, Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club is closing the restaurant at its Ahuriri headquarters to the public.

The council agreed last month to buy the boat ramp for $271,000 in a deal that will allow the struggling club to pay of its debts, including a $250,000 loan guaranteed by the council.

The club had signalled it would scale down its restaurant business - also known as the Boat Ramp - as part of a refocusing of its loss-making operations.

It confirmed this week that the restaurant would be closed to the public after June 30, but the licensed clubhouse would continue to serve a "limited selection of food" to members and their guests during club opening hours.

That would allow it to meet the requirements of its liquor licence.

Club president Alex Smith said yesterday the restaurant had not been financially viable "so the best thing to do is close it. We're going back to basics."

Mr Smith said club members had been supportive of the deal to sell the ramp to the council and had provided a number of donations to the cub in recent times.

Napier City Council chief executive Wayne Jack said the club had been sent contract documents to complete the sale of the ramp, and the council was waiting to hear back from the committee before the deal was finalised.

The ramp purchase led to criticism last month, including from city councillor Annette Brosnan who labelled it a bailout that unfairly advantaged the club over other community organisations.

But other councillors, and Mayor Bill Dalton, saw it as a favourable deal which provided the city with a valuable public asset.

The ramp had previously been valued at $1.2 million and the club initially offered to sell the council a third share for $400,000 - a deal the council rejected.

Mr Dalton called the $271,000 deal a "sensible middle ground" between doing nothing and agreeing to the club's initial request.

As the ramp's new owner, the council is planning to spend up to $75,000 installing barrier arms to improve compliance with the payment of fees by boat owners. Club members will receive a concession.