Whanganui restaurant owner cleans up after three-month closure due to Thain's fire

Pitsami Evans is hoping her Thai Villa restaurant can be open again in 10 days. Photo / Bevan Conley

It's been affected by flood and now by fire - but Whanganui's Thai Villa could be back in action soon.

The restaurant was hit by the June 2015 flood and again when fire broke out in the Thain's building next door on June 20.

Owner Pitsami Evans was managing the restaurant on the night of the fire. Customers had to leave in a hurry, and she went to the Mexican restaurant next door and told those people to get out as well.

After the fire Whanganui District Council deemed the restaurant a "dangerous building" and, apart from allowing Evans and her husband Tim to get all the food out before it spoiled, it has been out of bounds for three months.

On September 23, with the Thain's building demolished, the status of the restaurant building was changed to "affected". The business owner was allowed back in to assess and repair damage and to clean up, but not to trade.

The fire had "fried" a food chiller, and the rest of the electrical equipment is being checked. A section of the ceiling in the dining area has to be repaired.

There was 6cm of water across the floor on carpet that was last replaced after the 2015 flood, Tim Evans said.

They had to throw out four cubic metres of food after the fire because they had nowhere to store it.

Their business is insured and the building is also insured by its owners. The next move is with the insurers.

The three months since the fire have been boring and unsettling for restaurant staff, Tim Evans said. They are still being paid.

Pitsami Evans hopes to have the business open again soon, possibly within 10 days, and is not planning any changes to its successful formula.