1312 days ago

Restaurant in "adored" West Auckland building reopens

Danielle Clent Reporter from Western Leader

An “adored” West Auckland building is being brought back to life after new owners took over its restaurant.

Hayz Pincheira and Jess Morris opened The Falls Bistro in Henderson’s Falls Hotel in November last year.

Having purchased the business during lockdown, it has been a bumpy road to opening.

“Henderson adores this place,” Pincheira said.

“As soon as [the community] found out we were coming in and that the doors were going to reopen, we got a whole bunch of positivity coming our way. It was amazing.”

According to Heritage New Zealand, Falls Hotel was listed as a heritage building in October 1997 having been constructed in a Colonial Stripped Georgian style in 1873 by John McLeod.

It was used for accommodation by salesmen and railway workers during the 1920s.

Now owned by Norcross Heritage Trust, it was moved to its current location near Falls Park on Alderman Drive in 1996.

Pincheira and Morris were working during New Zealand’s first level 3 lockdown in Morris’ mobile coffee cart when “crazy” business ideas started being thrown around.

They found out the restaurant inside Falls Hotel was going under and thought it would be an ideal location for a “beautiful restaurant” and place to have high tea.

Finding out the Norcross Heritage Trust owned the building, they put together a proposal, found people to invest and were given the green light to move in.

But by the time Auckland went into its second level 3 lockdown, the pair’s investors all pulled out.

They were back in the mobile coffee cart when a representative of the Trust approached them and said they should ask it to invest.

Once that was approved, the two friends got to work redoing the only part of the building not considered historic - the conservatory.

When they first got keys to the building, “it felt like it hadn’t been nurtured in a while”, Pincheira said.

Morris said: “It just needed love.”

The Falls Bistro is now up and running - with plans to make use of the old bedrooms upstairs for spa treatments in the future.

Other rooms in the building will also be used as a library and a private dining room/meeting area.

Events, such as weddings, can also be held at the venue.

Photo credit: Jo Dawn Photography

More messages from your neighbours
4 hours ago

Six tips for improving security around your home

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.

2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.

3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.

4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.

5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.

6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property

Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.

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4 hours ago

Today’s riddle: For all the curious minds next door!

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

My thunder comes before the lightning.
My lightning comes before the clouds.
My rain dries all the land it touches.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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4 hours ago

Cash for your wrecked and water damaged car!

AAA Auto Parts

Hi neighbours,

Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!

* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
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* Free quotes over the phone

We will beat any prices in the market by 10%.

Support your local business.
Give us a call on ** 0800 50 00 01 ** and we will be happy to have a chat.
Find out more

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