Cafe franchise eyes Square site

ROBERT KITCHIN/Fairfax NZ

FULL AGAIN? The former Fisherman's Table on The Square is possibly the new home of Hog's Breath Cafe in Palmerston North, if the franchise can find someone to take it up.

A long-empty restaurant site in The Square in Palmerston North is likely to be filled by a popular Australian restaurant chain, provided a franchisee can be found.

Hog's Breath Cafe is looking for someone to open and run a restaurant in Palmerston North, likely to be located above Subway on The Square.

The site has been empty since 2008, when Fishies on The Square was placed into voluntary liquidation by owners Roger and Cathryn Symes.

Before it was Fishies on The Square it was the Fisherman's Table, which was established on the site in 1982.

Unique Realty commercial manager Steve Williams said Hog's Breath was "dead keen" on the location, but needed someone to take the franchise on.

If a restaurant did open up in the empty space, Mr Williams said he was sure it would do well.

"It's the best large family restaurant site in the Manawatu – not just in Palmerston North," he said. "Fisherman's Table was hugely successful for over 20 years."

Mr Williams said the place being empty for so long was a reflection of the commercial property market.

"Excellent sites can be empty for ages, then another can have two people wanting it now, and then some places are only empty for a week."

Offers had been coming in during the past few years, but most people had not wanted to revamp the site, he said.

"People were looking to recycle that old fitout and, basically, the owner said whoever goes in there needs to do it properly, which ensures a business success."

According to the Hog's Breath Cafe's website, it is estimated to cost somewhere between $500,000 and $850,000 to establish a new franchise, depending on the state of the site, with franchisees expected to stump up about 40 per cent of that in cash.

- © Fairfax NZ News