Cafe rides a wave of welcome

Christian Fougere (left) and Richard Hatton are two of the owners of the new Piha Cafe. Photo / Chris Gorman

A small cafe which caused a furore, protest and a three-year, $200,000 legal wrangle is now set to open in less than two weeks.

Celebrity Marc Ellis and regional councillor Sandra Coney were embroiled in the debate over whether Piha Cafe should be allowed to be built in the popular beach town.

But finally, on Friday night, about 300 locals celebrated the completion of the Piha Cafe building, which has only some landscaping and interior finishing work left.

Owner Christian Fougere, one of four friends behind the project, said it had been a long, hard process but he was convinced most locals had been won over.

"There was at one stage a lot more resistance but many people have swung around. It was probably 60:40 in this community but now it's probably only 10 people who don't want this thing.

"It was just so draining on all of us, the court battle and that. It's hard in a small fishbowl town like this to know if you're liked or not."

The controversy about whether a cafe would disrupt the culture and environment of the small town had begun almost immediately after the site was purchased in 2006, he said.

TV personality and former All Black Marc Ellis was one of the original owners of the proposed cafe but pulled out in May this year when the other owners disagreed with his preference to use a franchise for Piha Cafe.

Six months after the purchase, Dr Fougere had been surprised to find locals on the site demonstrating in favour of a cafe.

"About 25 people showed up to protest for it. We watched it from the other side of the road and said, 'Oh my God, what's happening on our site?' It's been a really interesting process," Dr Fougere said.

There had been a massive show of support for the cafe's launch, with surfing mates around town already asking for coffee and food, he said.

"I went out for my first surf in ages and the guys were immediately yelling out orders from the water."

Tensions had stemmed partly from a difference in generations, he said.

"This is just our generation's contribution. This is what our generation does. We no longer really go to the rugby clubs.

"Our generation talks together, and not necessarily with alcohol. We have coffees together. That's just what we do."

There had also been a difference in philosophy, with those opposing the cafe wanting to preserve Piha's special character by maintaining caution towards development.

"They actually wanted to put a limit on the number of cars that use Piha Rd," Dr Fougere said.

On Sunday, a minor accident took place on Piha Rd, when a local driving out of the town skidded her car on gravel while avoiding oncoming cars, and spun it off a bank on the other side of the road.

Sergeant David Campbell of Henderson police said no one had been injured in the accident and the car was towed back on to the road about an hour later.

The driver, who did not want to be named, said the road had become busy with visitors during Labour weekend.

"With many cars coming the other way I was keeping way off to the left, doing about 80 ... then I just skidded on the gravel and turned a complete circle."

But she was in favour of the cafe and had enjoyed community gatherings held there, she said.

Owner Richard Hatton said the cafe should be open in seven to 10 days, with some landscaping, interior finishing and final council approval the only remaining hurdles.

START TO FINISH
Piha Cafe's long, bumpy road:

May 2006: Site purchased for cafe.
February 2008: Council consent granted, with opening planned for Christmas.
February 2009: Environmental Court appeal dismissed.
May: Construction started, opening expected by Labour weekend.
Labour weekend: Opening in seven to 10 days