Photo: RNZ / Anna SargentThe new director of a historic Canterbury hotel that was shut for more than a year says he's determined to bring the iconic site back to life. Hotel director Sourav Sharma has taken on the lease with plans to reinvigorate the hotel and buy it in the future. Photo: RNZ / Anna Sargent"Some people had their first date here, some people had their kid's 10th birthday, you know heaps of different stories. The second stage would see a function area open, capable of hosting up to 100 people with its own bar and kitchen. "All these things are in progress, by the middle of January we should have function area open," Sharma said.

Source: Stuff January 03, 2026 05:08 UTC