Trusting times

The Wiri Trust Hotel at Manukau City Centre.

Bruce Ringer

Just north of the Great South Road/ Ronwood Avenue intersection, tucked in behind a service station, there stood until recently a run-down graffiti-strewn building housing a TAB agency. The building’s sad and shabby appearance belied its historical significance. Formerly the Wiri Trust Hotel, this had been the first commercial building in the Manukau City centre. It preceded other local landmarks such as the shopping mall, the administration building and Friendship House by more than two years.

The Wiri Trust Hotel opened for business on 22 April 1974. The striking new building was situated on a truly greenfields site. During the official opening ceremony a few days later, cows wandered into the car park from nearby paddocks and peered through the hotel windows.

The Wiri Licensing Trust had plans to add a high-rise accommodation block, a licensed restaurant and conference facilities. Unfortunately, the venture was not a commercial success. In December 1980 Lion Breweries acquired a lease on the premises.

The Wiri Licensing Trust itself is still in existence. It runs a tavern in Clendon and leases land to a fast-food operation among other businesses. The former Wiri Trust Hotel building, already reduced in size, was demolished in 2009.

The Wiri Tavern at night, March 1975. (Courtesy Henriette Alford)

View large image

For more information: see Manukau’s Journey.

Publication record: first published in Connexions, no. 90, February 2007, p. 4. Revised and updated for publication on the Manukau Libraries website in September 2009.

Copyright © Manukau Libraries. This text may be freely used for the purposes of private study or research and for non-commercial publication provided that the author and Manukau Libraries are duly acknowledged.