Whanganui wine bar The Burrow Cellars not far from opening

Annette Jones says the bar will be open in the next three months. Photo / Bevan Conley

A long-awaited wine bar next to the Whanganui River is expected to open in the next three months.

The Burrow Cellars is the brainchild of Annette Jones, who operates The Burrow delicatessen and beauty clinic Skin Lab (formerly Indulge Skin Spa) next door.

It was originally meant to open in time for summer, but the liquor licence from the Whanganui District Council did not come through until February 9.

“As soon as I put the sign up - just before Vintage Weekend - things went downhill a little bit,” Jones said.

“Walls had to be pulled out to fix a pipe and now I’m waiting for a plumber, but we’ve been doing tastings and a winery has come in every week.”

She said one positive to come from the delay was learning more about what to put on the menu.

Originally, it was going to be predominantly imported wine.

“Hawke’s Bay is actually growing a lot of French-style grapes and wine, so there will be New Zealand ones as well,” Jones said.

“We just didn’t want to go towards supermarket wines.

“The whole point is to try different things and learn something - just like we have.”

She said she expected The Burrow Cellars to open in the next three months.

It is located at the back of 49 Taupō Quay (next to the Whanganui City Bridge), with The Burrow Select operating at the front.

Previous bars to occupy the space and its deck include Vega and Lucky.

“We are rounding everybody up and getting it cracking, and there should be no more delays,” Jones said.

“There is no reason why the kitchen shouldn’t get its licence, but I’ve also got a commercial kitchen next door [at the deli].

“The weather is changing a little bit, so instead of having wines on the deck, it might be wines and fondues inside instead.”

The four-storey Johnstone & Co Ltd building is owned by structural engineer Dmytro Dizhur.

He has spent the past six years transforming the floors above the Burrow into luxury loft apartments which are now available through Airbnb.

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multi-media journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.