Jolt for local cafe scene

A new cafe in the growing development Maunu Village is only weeks away from opening.

Long-time Maunu residents, husband-and-wife Ian and Sue Gillingham decided to open Jolt Cafe, adjacent to Sciadopitys Garden Centre, because they believed there was a gap in the market.

"It's been a 12-month project - getting a lease, getting council consents - it's great to see it finally come to fruition," says Mr Gillingham.

It's also Mr Gillingham's love of coffee and his wife's love of tea that sparked the pair to ditch their salaried jobs to follow their cafe dreams. "I'm a bit of a coffee nut, but my wife Sue doesn't like coffee - she's a tea person - so we've got all bases covered."

He reckons Jolt Cafe is two to three weeks away from opening.

The cafe is north-facing, with an outdoor area looking over the rows of plants in the garden centre, that also has the potential to be closed in. "We've got the outdoor feel, but we can also operate in winter."

There will also be an enclosed children's area, and a specific area for people with dogs, as well as catering for cyclists, he said.

"And it's unique in that it's a garden centre and a cafe, but you don't have to go through the garden centre to get to the cafe."

While the Gillinghams plan initially to serve coffee, teas and cafe-style food during the day, provisions have been made for future expansion into a restaurant.

"We've built a restaurant-sized kitchen, so there is the potential for that," he said. "We've sourced some really good staff, including my son, who has been a barista in town for 20 months now."

The cafe forms part of Maunu Village, which so far includes a childcare centre, the cafe and garden centre, and is seeking other retail outlets to lease.