Arthurs Point plans collective push
Moves are afoot to promote Arthurs Point as a food and entertainment destination, with plans for a Farmers’ Market selling local produce and businesses banding together to form an association.
Tony Koia, who owns bistro-style pizzeria Rakau, has teamed up with some of the other dozen or so businesses at Arthurs Point to form the Arthurs Point Business Association, for which there seems to be great support.
“We’ve had two meetings and we’re seeking input from the Arrowtown Business Association and Destination Queenstown,” Koia, who operates the Queenstown branch of his architecture practice at Arthurs Point, says.
Shotover Lodge manager Cara Ferris, Swiss-Belresort Coronet Peak general manager Saini Singh, Nugget Point general manager Ethan Heng, Malcolm Blakey, who’s developing the new brewing hall behind Cargo Gantley’s, Hughan Paterson, who’s taken over Cargo Gantley’s, Caroline Anderson, of Divine Property, and Koia are now gauging support for the idea.
The group is discussing its plans to better promote Arthurs Point as a mini destination with Joerg Henkenhaf, owner and distiller of the Gin Garden and Broken Heart Gin, and is also approaching Canyon Brewery Restaurant owners.
Koia says the new brewing hall behind historic Cargo Gantley’s is well underway and due for completion during the middle of this year and the beer brewed there will be sold through Cargo Gantley’s.
Combining together as a group of businesses is “a good option”, he says. “We’ll be approaching all the businesses to get their input.”
“If we run an event, we can wrap the whole thing up and promote ourselves as a business community and unique destination with accommodation options, food and entertainment all at Arthurs Point,” he says.
“A lot of businesses have sprung up out here in the last five years or so. It’s quite a unique location in between Queenstown and Arrowtown, creating a little alpine village and collectively we want to market it with structured events and feature bands.”
The group is hoping to start a fortnightly Farmers’ Market featuring local Arthurs Point produce and products. With food costs rising and people keen to buy and ‘eat local’, Koia says they’re keen to sound out whether there’s an appetite for a food and produce market behind Rakau in the New Year and hopefully get started soon after.
Live music gigs on Sundays featuring regional and local artists in the lead-up to Christmas have already proven popular there.
“We think we need this on our side of town with no supermarket at Arthur’s Point.” It would be an ideal showcase for local producers, and they’d sell fresh fruit and vegetables.
Rakau suppliers like Gibbston Valley Cheese, local smoked fish, local honey and Zamora Meats, as well as Arthurs Point’s Ben Lomond Lavender and local potters, would be invited to be part of the market.
“We’re thinking fresh homegrown garden flowers and plants, with a big focus around food,” Koia says. “We can make all sorts of artisan breads in our pizza ovens and there are heaps of fresh blackberries growing out here to make fresh fruit smoothies and ice creams.” He says it would be a great way to bring the whole community together and the perfect outlet for local growers and producers to showcase the area and their product.
The group is keen to hear if there’s enough demand for the markets. “We’d love to know what people think.”
“We have plenty of accommodation options right at the base of the skifield with Swiss-Belresort, Nugget Point and 48 Residence du Parc apartments.”
It’s perfectly positioned for Winter Festival and other ski season and corporate events too, featuring bands and entertainment, he says. “We could run a number of events all within 100m of each other.”
