Field of dreams in Hauraki Plains: a pub for sale

Ngatea Hotel is the only watering hole in the town.

Ngatea Hotel, the only licensed meeting place for locals and visitors in the rural township on SH2, is for sale.

Owned and run by the same publican for more than 20 years until he retired and leased it out, the hotel, at 32 Orchard Rd West, is one of the biggest pieces of available commercial land on SH2 between Pokeno and Katikati in the Bay of Plenty.

The property has a bar, restaurant and accommodation, and is on a 6657sq m commercially zoned site in four titles. It is being marketed by Bayleys Ngatea salespeople Josh Smith and Daniel Keane for sale by auction on August 29.

"The hotel has a central role in the township as the only licensed, seven-day establishment," Smith said.

"It is ripe for redevelopment, with the lease ending in 2026, and numerous options for housing and retail operations."

The hotel has a public bar with Sky Sport and TAB facilities, a lounge for live bands and other events, as well as an outdoor garden bar.

There is a separate gaming area with 15 pokie machines. Adjoining the bar is a bottle store.

In addition to the main building, and joined by a covered walkway, is the restaurant and accommodation wing, with a three-bedroom manager's residence. The hotel is leased until January 2026 with no further rights of renewal. It returns $90,000 a year with rent reviews to market in January 2021, 2023, and 2025. "This allows a new owner to to extend the tenancy or explore the potential of the site," Smith said.

"There are numerous options for redevelopment of the hotel site, particularly as commercial infrastructure is in short supply.

"About 2000sq m of the property can be accessed at the rear from Dent St and could be suitable for housing. The remaining land would be ideal for retail development."

Ngatea's population is growing. "Its rural lifestyle is becoming popular for commuters with jobs in both Hamilton and Auckland," Smith said.

Ngatea's Hauraki Plains College has 780 pupils and is one of the top academic state schools in the country. It is expecting to enrol more pupils over the next couple of years.

"There are numerous options for redevelopment of the hotel site, particularly as commercial infrastructure is in short supply.

"About 2000sq m square metres of the property can be accessed at the rear from Dent Street and could be suitable for housing development," Mr Smith said.

"The remaining land would be ideal for a multi-unit retail development in the heart of the thriving town.

"A new owner could also extend the lease while he scoping out the best and highest use for the property, which has the biggest profile in the town and is for sale for the first time in a quarter of a century."

Ngatea's first shop opened in 1911, operated by a Kerepehi resident who travelled each day by river, then the main outlet for settlers. It supplied most of the day-to-day needs of the local people, much as the hotel serves as the most frequent meeting place for locals today, Mr Smith said.

Ngatea developed as a main trading centre for the plains and the residential area steadily expanded with other villages' populations remaining static, but declining in many others.

Change is still taking place, with an increasing number of retired people now living in Ngatea, commuters finding the rural lifestyle appealing and the town's dual role serving the surrounding farming community and visitors through the hotel, a motel, veterinary services, hardware shops, garages and workshops, service stations, cafes, dairies and convenience food outlets, good for business.