WELLINGTON: The owners of a popular New Zealand cafe have apologised to filmmaker Peter Jackson (pic) after falsely claiming he was forcing the closure of the establishment.
Jackson, best known for directing the Oscar-winning "Lord of The Rings" films, purchased the historic Submarine Barracks property in Wellington with partner Fran Walsh in 2023.
At the time, the couple said they wanted to restore the area's "natural beauty".
But the Chocolate Fish Cafe, which operates from the historic property, said it was informed last week that its famous landlords would end the lease in January, calling it a "devastating blow".
But they clarified on Wednesday that Jackson and Walsh were not personally responsible for the closure.
"We apologise to Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh for falsely claiming they were involved in the decision to end our tenancy," they said in a statement.
"We were entirely wrong, and it is important to us that we let you know."
WingNut PM, the property arm of Jackson and Walsh's WingNut Group, said there had been "occupancy discussions" with the cafe's owners since 2024.
The redevelopment plan is intended to "reinvigorate the city and provide a public amenity for all Wellingtonians to enjoy", the company said in a statement to the NZ Herald newspaper.
The renovations would make it impossible for the cafe to continue operations beyond January and its owners had been offered support so it could remain open into the summer, the statement added. - AFP
