Gas leak: LPG hob does the trick

To ensure customers didn't go hungry, one Rotorua restaurant switched to LPG gas bottles and hobs and hired electrical equipment to keep food on tables.

Seismic Gastrobar owner Mericia Waqanimaravu said they hired portable hobs to keep customers fed as they were advised not to use natural gas supplies by their supplier because of the Maui gas leak.

"We had spare portable hobs at home so we switched to LPG and hired [a dual fuel burner]," she said.

Customers had hardly noticed a difference, Mrs Waqanimaravu said.

"It has been a bit slower and not as powerful as natural gas but it's made little difference really," she said.

Staff are coping well too.

"They are learning how to adapt and have done so easily," she said.

"We know what to do if something like this happens again."

Meanwhile, Amazing Thai restaurant closed for two days during the crisis.

However, by yesterday it was back in business, owner Krotcsakorn Sirisawat said.

"It was very bad for us to close our doors but the [gas] company say it's back on now."