Burgers and fish and chips find a home at Whanganui's Mowhanau Village

Bruce and Diane Taylor (left) of Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park with the Sea Dogs Galley team Tammy McKelvey, Bradie Alabaster and Zoe Van Ver Wees. Photo / Bevan Conley

Fresh fish and chips, burgers and more are coming to Mowhanau Village right in time for the summer holidays.

Diane and Bruce Taylor have partnered with Bradie Alabaster from Sea Dogs Galley to open a cafe on their Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park premises.

The previous holiday park owners had a burger shop that was open at weekends and the Taylors had been thinking of a cafe at the campsite since they took over in 2019. However, they wanted someone with experience to run it.

"Since we got here, we've been asked by locals and campers [about a cafe] and it was in the plans," Diane said.

In 2019 the couple met Alabaster who was full of enthusiasm about the potential of a cafe in Mowhanau.

"It was always our intention to do something, but it was finding that right person. We couldn't do it ourselves," Bruce said.

"We weren't ready at that time [2019]. We finally got to the point where we are ready and gave him a call and he was good to go."

The couple began converting their office into a cafe in August. The next day, the country plunged into lockdown.

Fortunately, one of the guests at the campsite was a builder and spent the lockdown helping the Taylors.

"We just made do with what we had. We had just enough screws, gib board and wood around to piece it all together."

A constant feature at the Whanganui River Markets and the Castlecliff Markets over the past year, Alabaster said it was exciting to set up somewhere permanently.

"I've always wanted something. I walked in here just thought, 'wow, plenty of potential'. Everything slowly came together."

Fish and chips, burgers, nachos and raw fish, as well as breakfast items such as eggs benedict, are just a few of the items Alabaster plans to provide.

"I'll be keeping it small and simple at the start; as we get rolling, I'll expand."

He said he had plans for special evenings such as Fish and Chip Friday and more.

Alabaster said it would be great to have a venue where locals and beachgoers could enjoy a coffee and food in the middle of Kai Iwi.

"I have a brother that lives in Maxwell and he said they would come here when there was fish and chips and burgers here on a Friday.

"It was a time for them to come together. I want to get that community spirit going again. Keep the locals happy and I'm happy."

Sea Dogs Galley at Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park will be open from Thursday, December 23, from 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday.