Nineteen staff at a popular Paihia restaurant are set to be rehired by new owners. 35 Degrees South and adjoining venue Alongside sit on a private wharf in the Bay of Islands and closed suddenly last month, but the owner of the building, who also previously ran the venues, has come to the rescue.
“It's a big employer in Paihia and it needs to keep going,” said building owner Scott Sutherland.
Casual-dining 35 Degrees South Aquarium Restaurant and Bar opened at the end of 2013, following a major refurbishment of a somewhat dated hospitality operation which had been running in various guises on the site for several decades. The Alongside function venue opened shortly after in December 2013.
Renovations are currently underway, and the request for a liquor licence has been fast-tracked by the Far North District Council so the restaurant can reopen as soon as possible. This news comes as a relief to staff, some of whom were on sponsored visas and relied on employment at the restaurant to be able to stay in the country.
