A humble workshop on Inniscort Street may become a unique new wine business after the Cromwell Community Board yesterday (Tuesday August 2) paved the way for a proposal to make-over the 57-year-old building.

Pinot Junction Ltd owners Kate and Matt Barnett are proposing the wine retail outlet and bar venture. 

A draft resource consent application presented to the board outlines the business as being a “regional wine shop to enable retail and wine education events” utilising both indoor and outdoor areas.

The building was originally built as a workshop and garage for McNulty Transport and sits beside the now-restored McNulty House at Cromwell heritage Precinct.

A replacement workshop will be built in the car park to service the maintenance needs of the Precinct, a report stated. 

The area is owned by the Central Otago District Council and leased to volunteer group Old Cromwell Inc.

In her report to the Board, SA Studio architect Jessica Sutherland said the proposal offered “great opportunities for a new authentic tourist venture within an under‐utilised existing building”.

She said the adaptive reuse of McNulty Shed would provide another offering within the Precinct, which encourages both community and visitors to learn about the building, wider precinct and an important industry of the region, viticulture.

Board members raised concerns over parking for wine bar customers, people visiting the precinct and adjacent arts and crafts clubrooms.

Access and parking were already becoming an issue at the attraction which hosts a farmers’ market part of the year, board member Nigel McKinlay said.

Parking would, however, be addressed during the necessary resource consent process the owners could now pursue.

The board approved the “adaptive reuse” of the McNulty Shed and the building of a new maintenance shed in the south end of the Precinct carpark.  

It also authorised Old Cromwell Incorporated to sub-lease the existing shed to Pinot Junction Ltd under terms and conditions satisfactory to the council’s chief executive officer.