ROB ROY CHRISTMAS CHEER: Waitemata Local Board members in front of the brightly lit up Rob Roy Hotel. L-R: Pippa Coom (deputy), Christopher Dempsey, Rob Thomas, Tricia Reade, Shale Chambers (chair), Greg Moyle, Jesse Chalmers and Auckland Councillor Mike Lee

Media release

5 December 2011

Rob Roy wrapped up for Christmas

The Rob Roy Hotel is now decked out for the holidays, adding to the festive spirit of the Franklin Road Christmas lights in Freemans Bay.

The lighting of the iconic hotel is funded by the Waitemata Local Board which supports the popular Franklin Road Christmas Lights residents’ event.

The building is being refurbished by its owner, the New Zealand Transport Agency as part of the Victoria Tunnel project and is swathed in plastic to weatherproof it while the building’s roof is replaced over the next six weeks.

The Board recently named the new plaza under construction in front of the hotel, Wai-atarau Plaza.

Local Board Chair Shale Chambers says the new name reflects the history of the area.

“The site marks the original foreshore of Freemans Bay, known as Wai-atarau, which means ‘place of reflecting waters’,” says Mr Chambers.

Previously, the plaza was utilised by Auckland Transport for paid public car parking. The new area will comprise paved walking and seating areas and will be a great new open space for residents in the area. The paving of the plaza will have patterns which reflect its shoreline history.

Ends.

Notes for editors:

• In 1862, a wooden building was erected on the corner of Franklin Road. It was used as a pub and hotel and named after a ship called Rob Roy.

• In 1885, this building was demolished and a two storey Italianate style hotel with pub replaced it. The new building retained the name Rob Roy Hotel, now also known as the ‘Birdcage Tavern’.

• The Franklin Road Christmas lights will be turned on at dusk and continue each night until Christmas Eve. The lights will switch off at 11pm each night.

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