Hotdogs and chips will hopefully be soon on the menu at the new Clyde Night ’n Day food store after a resource consent hearing in Alexandra yesterday (Wednesday July 16).

The store is the only one of the 54 nationwide that doesn’t yet sell deep fried food, after the new owners hit a roadblock, following the purchase of the historic Four Square supermarket in October 2024.

The hearing considered an application for NDN Advertising to extend its opening hours from 6am to 11pm in line with other stores, and to offer cooked food available in a bain-marie.

Night ’n Day Foodstores Limited general manager Matthew Lane gave evidence before commissioner Rosalind Day-Cleavin, saying there was an expectation in the community that the store sell deep fried food, like its other businesses around the country.

“We have been approached by members of the community that we are not living up to our brand by being closed at 8pm.”

He said it was only the second time they have received a submission to the full operation of a Night ’n Day out of 54 locations.

The nearby Cromwell Night ’n Day currently ranked second in New Zealand (after Winton), for fried food sales, while Alexandra was fifth.

Central Otago District Council (CODC) advised the owners they were operating beyond the scope of their consent in early 2025.

CODC determined that the scope of the activity—both in terms of trading hours and the shift in character to a hybrid convenience and takeaway food model—exceeded the existing use rights previously associated with the Four Square operation.

The business consent did not authorise any changes to the nature or scale of the underlying retail activity.

Consultant planner Oli Monthule-McIntosh initially recommended the consent be approved, but suggested a condition be made to restrict the preparation and sale of hot food to between 7am and 8pm.

Matthew said they were conscious of the neighbourhood they were operating in, but wanted to be able to accommodate nearby health workers at Dunstan Hospital and late night travellers.

The commissioner adjourned the meeting and said she would advise when a decision would be made once satisfied all information had been submitted.